Parliament Probes Police Allowance Cuts in Southern Provinces
A parliamentary committee investigated reports that police allowances in Thailand's southern border provinces were cut for the 2027 fiscal year. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul denied ordering any reduction, attributing the discrepancy to the budget review process. The Royal Thai Police pledged to restore the roughly 1,000 baht monthly shortfall within days.
The House Police Committee met at 09:30 on November 12, 2026, at Parliament to examine the reduction of allowances for police officials serving in southern border provinces for fiscal year 2027. Chaired by Bhumjaithai MP Wichapong Kuwisit (Saraburi), the session included representatives from the Royal Thai Police, the Security Budget Bureau, the Budget Bureau, police personnel divisions, and People's Party MPs Romdon Panjor, Captain Kittipong Piyawan, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Thirawat Panyanathamkul.
Wichapong said the meeting was prompted by Romdon's request to investigate reports that border police had their allowances cut. On November 11, Wichapong asked Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and the Interior Minister, who both confirmed no policy to reduce allowances had been issued. The premier instructed Wichapong to establish the facts and explain them to affected officers.
"The Royal Thai Police allocated the budget normally, but when it reached the Budget Bureau for committee review, the amounts did not match what the police had proposed," Wichapong said. "This is a systemic process, not a directive from the administration or the prime minister."
Romdon said officers in the field confirmed receiving the reduced rate despite prior complaints. He demanded concrete solutions — whether funds would be restored from the fourth quarter of the FY2027 budget or from central reserves — and said he would also question the prime minister directly, in his capacity as overseer of the Royal Thai Police and the National Security Council.
Police Lt Col Thirawat said the cut, roughly 1,000 baht per month, matters because it is an incentive for officers to serve in high-risk areas where they cannot move freely to buy food. The Royal Thai Police spokesperson announced on November 10 that no reduction would stand and the shortfall would be reimbursed within the week.
When asked whether Parliament had actually cut the police budget by 408 million baht, the discussion continued...
