Bangkok: Lalida Periswiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, has refuted claims made by Rakchanok Srinok, a list MP from the People's Party, regarding the allocation of a 6,541.98 million baht groundwater development project. Srinok suggested that the allocation was politically motivated, but Lalida affirmed that the approval adhered strictly to established criteria.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Lalida clarified that the 858 approved projects were previously proposed by the Department of Groundwater Resources under the previous government. These projects had already passed the National Water Resources Committee process and received Cabinet approval but did not receive full budget allocation due to other government priorities.
She emphasized that the zoning process for the projects was completed before the general election, making it impossible to predict which constituencies would be represented by which political parties. This timing, she argued, disproves any allegations of political bias influencing the project allocation.
Ms. Lalida also highlighted that out of over 900 project applications, 858 were approved based on merit, with the remainder being duplicates or involving unprepared local administrative organizations. This, she said, demonstrates a lack of discretionary selection in favor of any political party.
Further, she pointed out that Chonburi province, the home province of the minister overseeing the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, did not receive any project allocations, contradicting claims of political favoritism. The allocated areas span multiple provinces and political parties, further dispelling allegations of bias.
The project selection criteria focused on areas with inadequate water supply systems or limited access to services, excluding Bangkok and other areas where groundwater use is legally restricted. Lalida asserted that all project requests originated from local administrative organizations, not politicians, and once approved by the Cabinet, locations could not be altered without breaching government regulations.
Lalida assured that the government is prepared to disclose all application lists and reasons for approval or rejection to promote transparency. She welcomed investigations based on factual data, which she believes will enhance public trust in government processes.
She concluded by noting that the project, covering 63 provinces, aims to improve water security for at least 171,600 households, increasing water reserves significantly. The government remains open to scrutiny and committed to refining the budgeting system for transparency, while urging that investigations focus on factual accuracy rather than political interpretations.