Bangkok: Dr. Warong Dejkitvikrom, a list MP from the Thai Bhakdi Party, has proposed a 10% reduction in the 2027 national budget during a House of Representatives meeting, aiming to curb corruption and enhance elderly welfare. The proposal was made as the Parliament deliberated over the draft Budget Act for the fiscal year 2027, which amounts to 3.788 trillion baht.
According to Thai News Agency, Dr. Warong highlighted the importance of transparent budget allocation for enhancing public welfare. He warned that corruption could prevent funds from reaching the populace and stressed the need to reassess items prone to misuse. His approach is not to criticize the current government but to address a persistent issue requiring urgent attention.
Dr. Warong referenced business data suggesting inflated procurement costs, where items worth about 100 baht are priced at 300-400 baht. He advocated for investigating these discrepancies to achieve significant budget savings. He also called for scrutiny of budgets related to public relations, events, seminars, consulting, and outsourced services to ensure transparency and cost-effectiveness.
A significant concern raised by Dr. Warong was the handling of 140 billion baht in "grey money," potentially linked to scams, gambling, and political vote buying. He urged the government to take decisive action to prevent such funds from harming the economy and national integrity.
Despite proposing an overall budget cut, Dr. Warong emphasized that essential public services, especially for low-income groups, tuition, mandatory expenses, and elderly welfare, should remain unaffected. He suggested that non-essential budget items could be trimmed without impacting the quality of life.
Dr. Warong also recommended increasing the elderly allowance to at least 1,000 baht per month, citing the rising cost of living. He provided data showing that Thailand has around 13.5 million elderly people and that the current budget for their allowances is 107 billion baht. To meet the proposed increase, an additional 55 billion baht would be necessary, which he urged the committee to consider.
In conclusion, Dr. Warong reiterated that the primary goal of his proposal is to encourage efficient fund usage, minimize corruption opportunities, and ensure allocations directly benefit the public, particularly the low-income and elderly populations.