Bangkok: Sirikanya Tansakul, a party-list MP and deputy leader of the People's Party, raised concerns over the 2020 budget, pointing out several loopholes and the potential for corruption in the 6.5 billion baht solar power project. She highlighted overlapping projects, including duplicate cloud initiatives and overpriced equipment across various agencies, and signaled the need for vigilance to prevent a repeat of past corruption issues.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Sirikanya spoke at the Parliament building about the draft Budget Act for fiscal year 2027. She noted that despite initial government budget cuts, a detailed review revealed high-cost projects and overlapping budget requests. Of particular concern was a 30% funding increase for the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, which included a 5 billion baht central government cloud system. However, separate budget requests for cloud services by various agencies raised red flags for duplication.
Ms. Sirikanya also criticized agencies like the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security for reducing welfare budgets while increasing administrative costs. She cited inflated procurement prices for equipment in the Department of Empowerment and Development of Quality of Life for People with Disabilities as an example of budgetary mismanagement.
She further addressed the 12 billion baht central budget, indicating that the committee would reconsider it after reviewing all budget items. Concerns were also raised about the Ministry of Interior's budget allocation and the inefficiency in using funds for senior executive training programs, which generate significant revenue but continue to request government funding.
The construction of a government center by the Ministry of Interior was highlighted as another issue, with delays due to financial difficulties with the supervising company. This has resulted in duplicate expenses as agencies using old buildings request additional renovation budgets.
Ms. Sirikanya expressed alarm over the approval of a 6.5 billion baht solar-powered groundwater project, noting the risk of repeating past corruption issues identified by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. She urged for public consultation on the draft Terms of Reference to ensure no favoritism towards particular companies.
In conclusion, Ms. Sirikanya emphasized the need for careful budget prioritization, questioning the allocation of over 6.5 billion baht for the solar project when other essential government expenses are pending. She pointed out inconsistencies in budget prioritization, particularly with recent budget cuts to the Royal Irrigation Department.