Bangkok: Ramadan has urged the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to clarify the reasons behind a 31% shortage in personnel funds, raising concerns about the potential presence of "ghost personnel" and questioning accountability. He criticized ISOC's inefficacy in tackling the southern insurgency, noting that violence in 2025 exceeded levels seen when the national strategic plan was initiated. He also highlighted the issue of overlapping compensation budgets allocated across 46 agencies.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Ramadhan Panjor, a party-list MP from the People's Party, engaged in a debate over Article 7, which pertains to the Prime Minister's Office and its associated entities, specifically targeting ISOC. He referenced a NIDA poll conducted in the three southern border provinces, which indicated that 35.7% of respondents associated recent unrest with local budget issues. Mr. Panjor pointed out that ISOC is the sole agency with a budget exceeding 5,041 million baht designated for the southern border provinces, with 88% of its budget concentrated there, indicating a reliance on the threat. Notably, over 2,300 million baht is devoted to personnel and operations.
Mr. Ramadhan elaborated that the 20-year national strategy mandates a reduction of violence in the three southern border provinces to zero by 2027. However, the 2025 statistics reveal 168 incidents, surpassing those in 2017 when the national strategy commenced. This raises questions about the effectiveness of agencies tasked with ensuring security and their substantial resource allocation. He suggested that when agencies fail, the evaluation methods should be reformed.
The issue of phantom personnel within ISOC, previously linked to corruption and embezzlement of public funds, was also addressed by Mr. Ramadhan. He cited ISOC Order 758/2568, which validates the eligibility for double counting of service time for ISOC personnel and staff, as a partial effort to tackle the problem. The order prohibits advance applications for this right and ties certification to the actual approved staffing levels.
Mr. Ramadhan indicated that upon reviewing the draft budget bill in parliament, a 31% decrease in personnel and operations was noted, reducing the budget from 3,393 million baht to 2,341 million baht. Despite ISOC's motion to the Cabinet to reclaim the reduced budget, the committee ultimately denied approval. He questioned if the budget cut resulted from uncovering "ghost" personnel and whether historical incidents would be investigated or ignored. Alternatively, he questioned why ISOC sought to restore such specific figures in the revised budget bill.
Additionally, Mr. Ramadhan highlighted the broader issue of financial leakage in the system and budget aimed at suppressing the southern insurgency. This could stem from a secondary income source: special compensation for personnel serving in the southern border provinces, distributed across 46 agencies, amounting to over 2 billion baht. He questioned whether a single military officer in the same area could receive payments from two different sources.
Mr. Ramadhan further argued that repealing the Emergency Decree would have both benefits and drawbacks. One disadvantage, as per ISOC, is the potential reduction or adjustment of its role or budget. He contended that the system is structured to motivate government agencies to allocate resources for resolving issues in the southern border provinces, not to perpetuate them. As unresolved problems maintain the budget and power of security agencies, he symbolically suggested a 1% budget cut for ISOC to promote a system ensuring payments reach those genuinely working, sacrificing, and risking their lives.