Senator Urges Restoration of Allowances for Southern Border Police
Police in Thailand's southern border provinces have had their risk allowances cut by nearly 2,000 baht due to national budget reductions, prompting warnings from Senator Chaiyong Manirungkul that the move destroys morale and may drive officers away. He urged the government and national police leadership to restore the allowances immediately, stressing that the loss of this incentive threatens security in the volatile region where officers face daily dangers.
Southern border police have petitioned the Senate's Defense and Security Committee, which is alarmed over the cutting of allowances. The committee is urging the swift return of allowances for police in the three southern border provinces before the cuts damage morale and potentially undermine security.
On November 8, 2026, Senator Chaiyong Manirungkul, spokesperson for the Senate's Defense and Security Committee, disclosed that he had received complaints from police officers in the three southern border provinces. The government's budget cuts to the Royal Thai Police had resulted in the reduction of allowances for both border patrol police and territorial defense volunteers serving in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and four districts of Songkhla. Each officer lost nearly 2,000 baht.
This action has shaken the morale of officers serving in high-risk areas. Some are now considering transferring out of the three provinces. While the amount may seem small to those not facing daily danger, for these officers it is a vital morale booster and helps support their families. Its removal affects their ability to perform their duties.
Senator Chaiyong emphasized that police, especially in the deep south, handle far more than outsiders realize — from drug suppression and petty theft to fraud, mental health interventions, securing businesses, and combating violent crimes like robbery and murder. Officers there risk their lives daily and must serve seven-year tours without rotation due to manpower shortages. Cutting their morale allowance makes them feel abandoned and misunderstood.
Although Region 9 Police Chief Pol. Lt. Gen. Piyawat Chalermsi has tried to reassure the affected police, saying he has discussed the issue with the National Police Chief and the Prime Minister and promised a solution, the new payroll has already been issued with the allowances still cut. No concrete resolution has been announced.
"If no swift action is taken, or if the matter is ignored, it could impact the security of the southern border provinces. It would show that the National Police Chief and the Prime Minister do not understand the situation there, where above all else, the morale of junior officers risking their lives is paramount. The government must act immediately," Senator Chaiyong warned.
