Thai Ministries Allowed Bigger Budgets As Independent Agencies Have Theirs Slashed

[webfact]

Ministries allowed bigger budgets as independent agencies have theirs slashed
Jeerapong Prasertpolkrung,
Anapat Deechuay
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet has given the green light to most ministries' higher budget proposals for the 2014 fiscal year, but independent agencies have been given a lot less than they requested.

The Cabinet endorsed the Budget Bureau's decision to allocate Bt480 billion to the Education Ministry, Bt27 billion more than the budget for the current fiscal year, which wraps up at the end of September, according to a source who attended the weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The Interior Ministry got Bt320 billion, Bt20 billion more; the Public Health Ministry got Bt100 billion, Bt6.4 billion more; the PM's Office got Bt31 billion, up by Bt6.2 billion; the Defence Ministry Bt184 billion, up by Bt4.2 billion; and the Finance Ministry Bt229 billion, up by Bt4.2 billion.

Very few ministries were granted less than what they were given for this fiscal year. These included Ministry of Tourism and Sport, which was given Bt9.3 billion, down by Bt3.5 billion; the Labour Ministry, which will get Bt33 billion, Bt2.9 billion less; and the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, which was allocated Bt10 billion, down by Bt63 million.

However, the Budget Bureau slashed the funding for most independent agencies, with many getting less than half of what they requested.

These include the Constitutional Court, which sought Bt294 million but was allocated Bt180 million; the Courts of Justice, which wanted Bt26 billion but got Bt14 billion; and the Election Commission, which sought Bt7.2 billion but was given Bt3.1 billion.

The Ombudsman's Office was allocated only Bt233 million, compared to the Bt650 million it wanted. The National Human Rights Commission asked for Bt413 million but was given Bt214 million. The Office of the Auditor General was allocated Bt1.6 billion, much lower than Bt3.1 billion it requested.

These independent agencies are key to the country's checks-and-balances and are viewed by political observers as playing the scrutiny role on the administration.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has also approved the request to increase the budget for the construction of a new Parliament complex in Bangkok's riverside Kiak Kai area.

Suwichag Nakwatcharachai, secretary-general of the House of Representatives, said yesterday that the Cabinet okayed the budget just in time for the signing of a contract between the Parliament and the contractor, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction. The project will require Bt12.2 billion, up from the Bt11.7 billion earlier proposed.


-- The Nation 2013-04-25

[dcutman]

These include the Constitutional Court, which sought Bt294 million but
was allocated Bt180 million; the Courts of Justice, which wanted Bt26
billion but got Bt14 billion; and the Election Commission, which sought
Bt7.2 billion but was given Bt3.1 billion

The Ombudsman's Office was allocated only Bt233 million, compared to the
Bt650 million it wanted.

These independent agencies are key to the country's checks-and-balances
and are viewed by political observers as playing the scrutiny role on
the administration.

This definitely helps for PTP's future and expanded criminal activities.

[OzMick]

So now we kmow what is NOT important to the Puppets of Thaksin Party - the Constitution, Justice, Electoral Law, Human Rights, the Ombudsman, and last and definitely least Auditing of government spending. Most of us knew this, but now we have positive confirmation.

Nice to see the PM's Office is getting an increase - more overseas trips coming?

Edited April 25, 2013 by OzMick

[Locationthailand]

Another FAIL admission.

[noitom]

"These independent agencies usually play the 'scrutiny" role. So it makes a lot of sense that their budgets should be slashed. Only in Thailand. Boy oh boy, these Thais. They are something else.

[maidu]

What portion of the budgets go to vast roomfuls of pretty women - pretending to be busy. Just in relatively small Chiang Rai alone, there must be 55 government buildings filled with employees like that, who push copious amounts of paper around their desks, but accomplish nothing. Example of just one: The Land Department here knows there are vast tracts of terrain, with tens of thousands of parcels with no chanod (title). It hasn't done anything in 25 years to try to ameliorate that. Why? Because that would entail doing something, and their unstated motto is: "Do as little as possible and maintain job security." Other reason: most of those parcels are resided upon by hill tribe people, and hill tribers are insignificant, except when a couple are prettied up for a tourist brochure photo.

A government job is a guarantee to employment until retirement age, with zero chance of lay-off or being fired - for any reason - ever. Worst thing possible is getting assigned to an inactive post, and even there, wages continue.

[OzMick]

No mention of NACC. It would seem that a slashing of budget would be in line with the other watchdogs, but at the cost as being seen as hypocrites after the STOP campaign.

[chainarong]

"These independent agencies usually play the 'scrutiny" role. So it makes a lot of sense that their budgets should be slashed. Only in Thailand. Boy oh boy, these Thais. They are something else.

Yes , very poor standing in the western world governments and the IMF

[chainarong]

This just about sums up the government of Thailand, anything to do with decency and democracy, err whats that.Those independent departments also would be hard to scam the cream off the top.

[LuckyLew]

I love Thaksin

I love Yingluck

I love Yaowapa

I love PTP

Dear great Shinawatra's, can I please have a job?

I will only ask for 25% off the top

[rubl]

What is actually done in the PM's Office to justify a 22% increase?

BTW The Ministry of Education with about 20% of the National Budget must be really busy making sure the Thai educational system is up to standards!

[maidu]

The average Thai has no idea what an independent agency is, and no idea there are so-called 'watch dog' groups assigned to try to keep government heavies from becoming too awfully corrupt. Most of those in blissful ignorance are Red Shirts, so even if they knew that watchdog agencies were being cut back, they wouldn't care. All you'd have to tell them is a Shinawatre approved of such 'n such, and the sheeple would nod their heads and grin in approval. That's just one of the reasons the Thai education system is 2nd rate: An uninformed mass of people, is a people easily manipulated.

[dickyknee]

What does the Human Security Ministry do?

By percentage increase, the PMs Office got the biggest increase of those listed.

[dundee48]

What is actually done in the PM's Office to justify a 22% increase?

BTW The Ministry of Education with about 20% of the National Budget must be really busy making sure the Thai educational system is up to standards!

I guess they anticipating the extra they will need to the food budget when Yaowapa takes over.

[Baerboxer]

What is actually done in the PM's Office to justify a 22% increase?

BTW The Ministry of Education with about 20% of the National Budget must be really busy making sure the Thai educational system is up to standards!

I guess they anticipating the extra they will need to the food budget when Yaowapa takes over.

Yep - and don't forget they've got to fund the real PM

[Baerboxer]

So now we kmow what is NOT important to the Puppets of Thaksin Party - the Constitution, Justice, Electoral Law, Human Rights, the Ombudsman, and last and definitely least Auditing of government spending. Most of us knew this, but now we have positive confirmation.

Nice to see the PM's Office is getting an increase - more overseas trips coming?

Yes - a very clear statement of where the current "governments" priorities lie (no pun intended!).

There's more than one way to skin a cat - underfund them and watch them wither on the vine. (Sorry, in the mood for mixed metaphors).

What does the PM's office do? Must need an increase to cover all the execess baggage from the shopping trips and first class travel.

Taking out the checks and balances seems the real policy. Sadly the vast majority of Thai people just don' seem to understand the importance of this, or where it will lead to. A dictatorship with a clan running the country as its own personal fiefdom. (Even more than they already do).

Somehow, and I really hope not, this seems to be heading in a direction that is not going to have a happy ending.

[maidu]

So now we kmow what is NOT important to the Puppets of Thaksin Party - the Constitution, Justice, Electoral Law, Human Rights, the Ombudsman, and last and definitely least Auditing of government spending. Most of us knew this, but now we have positive confirmation.

Nice to see the PM's Office is getting an increase - more overseas trips coming?

Yes - a very clear statement of where the current "governments" priorities lie (no pun intended!).

There's more than one way to skin a cat - underfund them and watch them wither on the vine. (Sorry, in the mood for mixed metaphors).

What does the PM's office do? Must need an increase to cover all the execess baggage from the shopping trips and first class travel.

Taking out the checks and balances seems the real policy. Sadly the vast majority of Thai people just don' seem to understand the importance of this, or where it will lead to. A dictatorship with a clan running the country as its own personal fiefdom. (Even more than they already do).

Somehow, and I really hope not, this seems to be heading in a direction that is not going to have a happy ending.

Your last sentence may be true, but an 'unhappy ending' - implies that the people will get smart and realize what a disfunctional set of people they put in the drivers seats. I hope that happens soon, but don't see indications that Thaksin's sheeple will see the light - anytime in the next decade or two.