Chatchai Explains 5 Billion Baht Budget Surplus, Acknowledges 'Earth Pongskor' Was Right About Accumulated Funds But Need to Boost Revenue
Bangkok Governor Chatchai Sittiphand defended a 5 billion baht budget surplus in fiscal 2568, crediting better-than-expected revenue collection and cost control rather than reserves depletion, while acknowledging that decades of accumulated
On May 7, 2569 at Bangkok City Hall, Governor Chatchai Sittiphand discussed the 2568 fiscal year budget surplus, which showed revenues exceeding expenditures by over 5 billion baht. He explained that Bangkok's budgeting approach aims for a balanced budget with equal revenues and expenditures, estimated conservatively in advance. Chatchai stated that rather than borrowing, the city generates additional revenue beyond projections and reduces unnecessary spending, creating surpluses like the 5 billion baht excess in 2568—a pattern that has historically occurred, though revenues declined during the COVID-19 pandemic period. He emphasized efforts to maintain maximum reserves because the city must allocate accumulated funds to pay BTS debts from reserves accumulated over decades, with over 60 billion baht already disbursed. Chatchai warned that if these reserves are depleted, future administrations would lack emergency funds, making efficient management essential to preserve buffers for unforeseen crises. He clarified he is not claiming credit for creating these reserves, noting that throughout history Bangkok has experienced both budget surpluses and deficits, and his policy focuses on maximizing revenue collection and minimizing procurement costs through competitive bidding, with the difference resulting from better-than-expected procurement results and higher-than-projected revenue collection. Regarding Democrat Party spokesman Pongskor Kwanmuang's (former Bangkok spokesperson) assertion that Bangkok has drawn from accumulated reserves since the era of former Governor Awin Kwanmuang to pay BTS debts, Chatchai acknowledged Pongskor spoke correctly about the continuation of accumulated reserves, though the city has had to supplement and manage debts from previous administrations. The article also references an earlier report where 'Earth Pongskor' showed Bangkok's reserves under former Governor Awin's administration totaled 76,000 million baht, not the 94 million baht cited elsewhere.
