Government Cuts Provincial Budget Over Misuse Of Funds
The government is cutting provincial budgets due to misuse of funds on road construction and projects better handled by specialized agencies, with the Prime Minister's Office arguing such spending diverts money from intended development goa
During a June 30, 2569 parliamentary session reviewing the 3.788 trillion baht fiscal year 2570 budget proposal, Prime Minister's Office Minister Phradet Prischannantkul explained the provincial budget cuts. He noted that 8-9 percent of provincial budgets were being spent on road construction, which falls outside the intended purpose of provincial allocations. Provincial budgets are meant to enable provinces to develop comprehensive plans that improve living standards and economic growth, not to duplicate projects already handled by other agencies.
Phradet argued that road construction and small-scale water projects do not align with provincial budget objectives, and such work should be managed by the Department of Rural Roads, which can properly prioritize urgent projects. Previous governments and the current administration have established guidelines preventing overlapping projects between different agencies. Provincial budgets should fund other development initiatives rather than roads, tourism promotions, or solar installations that misuse their intended purpose.
Regarding criticism that the budget cuts undermine decentralization efforts, Phradet emphasized that provincial budgets represent budget distribution, not true decentralization. Decentralization means transferring power to local government organizations. He reiterated that the current government prioritizes genuine decentralization to local authorities through equitable resource allocation, not favoritism based on proximity to agencies or decision-makers, as occurred previously.
