Bangkok: Panida Mongkolsawas, MP for Samut Prakan from the People's Party, has voiced her opposition to the 7.9 million baht budget allocated for the Constitutional Court's "Rule of Law for Democracy" (RLD) training program. She contends that the program's focus on building connections does not align with the public's interests, especially given the court's role in adjudicating political cases.
According to Thai News Agency, during a House of Representatives meeting chaired by Speaker Sophon Saram, Ms. Panida debated the draft Budget Act for fiscal year 2027, specifically targeting Article 31, which pertains to the budget for judicial agencies. She proposed reducing the budget for the Constitutional Court Office's RLD training program, questioning the justification for using public funds to cultivate a leadership network. Ms. Panida highlighted that the court should build its credibility through fairness and impartiality rather than fostering networks with high-ranking officials.
The training program's budget of 7,915,000 baht for 52 participants includes expenses such as training costs, domestic and international study trips, and consultant fees. Ms. Panida raised concerns about the necessity of hiring an external evaluator and the overall cost-effectiveness of the project. She pointed out the absence of indicators reflecting the public benefits of the program, questioning whether it genuinely increased public knowledge of the constitution or improved the justice system.
Ms. Panida stated, "I don't see any KPIs that show how much more people have gained knowledge about the constitution, how much better they understand the constitutional justice process, how much access they have to their constitutional rights, or how the quality of the justice system has improved. But what's most obvious is that 52 high-ranking officials met, used taxpayer money for a get-together, and formed a high-level network within the Constitutional Court. I don't see where the public stands in this equation."
She further suggested that the judiciary should avoid engaging in systems of connections that could be perceived as being used for personal gain, as this undermines the credibility of the justice system. Ms. Panida emphasized the importance of the Constitutional Court maintaining impartiality, especially given its responsibility to adjudicate cases involving high-ranking politicians or significant financial interests.
A review of the training program's participants revealed a list comprising high-ranking officials, MPs from coalition government parties, and other influential figures, including Prime Minister Nutin Charnvirakul. Ms. Panida argued that the courts must remain above such networks and refrain from utilizing taxpayer money to create them.