Phrawat Says 2570 Budget Fails to Meet National Needs, Calls for Tightened Spending and Opposition Cooperation

During the House of Representatives' first reading on the 2570 fiscal year budget bill on June 29, 2569 at Parliament, Phrawat Parisunanantakul, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office and head of the Budget Bureau, addressed critics who claimed the budget was patched together haphazardly. He acknowledged the government's budget constraints are genuine, noting this is the administration's first year managing a complete national budget. After consulting with Deputy Prime Minister Akanithi Nitithanprapaphat and the Finance Minister, they identified the same problems lawmakers raised: if the current budget structure persists for another 2-3 years, the country cannot survive. The 3.788 trillion baht budget comprises 3 trillion baht in government revenue dedicated to recurring expenses and debt servicing from previous years, with the remaining 788 billion baht coming from borrowing. Phrawat stated the government chose structural reform over simply going deeper into debt to fund promised projects. He expressed approval that opposition lawmakers from the Pheu Thai, Bhumjaithai, and Palang Pracharath parties shared the same vision for budget restructuring. He stressed that the time has come for all stakeholders—not just the government but also the opposition, private sector, and civil service—to recognize and address the structural problems preventing the country from delivering adequate welfare increases for the elderly, children, and disabled persons. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and the Interior Minister set clear cost-control policies, including eliminating unnecessary overseas trips. Regarding reduced investment budgets, Phawat clarified this does not mean cutting national investment but shifting funding sources from government revenues to allow relevant ministries like Transportation to finance their own projects.