Ice Rakchanok criticized Bhumjaithai MPs for competing to defend their minister, causing the joint committee meeting to proceed awkwardly. She announced plans to compile and submit information to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the Office of the Auditor General regarding allegations of locked specifications in the TOR for the "TH-AI Passport" project. Tags: ["TH-AI Passport project", "Bhumjaithai Party", "National Anti-Corruption Commission", "Office of the Auditor General", "TOR specifications", "parliamentary committee meeting"]
On 18 Jun 2026 GMT+7, following a joint meeting of the Budget Oversight Committee and the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee, Ms. Rakchanok Srinok, a party-list MP of the Prachachon Party and chair of the Budget Committee, told reporters that the committee received no new information today. However, the public will observe the Ministry of Digital Economy Permanent Secretary's efforts to seek truth and uphold correctness. She noted that differing views exist, citing Bhumjaithai MPs who, possibly due to upcoming ministerial reshuffles, actively defended their minister and corrected news reports. Each member competed to fulfill this role effectively, delaying the meeting’s start and causing it to proceed awkwardly.Tags: ["joint committee meeting", "Rakchanok Srinok", "Prachachon Party", "Bhumjaithai MPs", "ministerial reshuffle", "Ministry of Digital Economy"]
Today, oversight agencies such as the Office of the Auditor General and the National Anti-Corruption Commission attended the meeting. Afterward, the committees will compile existing evidence and submit it for review by relevant agencies. The TOR raised concerns of possible locked specifications under Section 9 of the Public Procurement Act, specifying companies with nationwide billboard screens and convenience store monitors—criteria met by only a few firms. She believes these facts are already public, but the Ministry of Digital Economy Permanent Secretary still sees no irregularities. She confirmed that some parts of the TOR were copied from another project for publicity purposes, but the two projects have different objectives.Tags: ["Office of the Auditor General", "National Anti-Corruption Commission", "Public Procurement Act", "TOR", "locked specifications", "Ministry of Digital Economy"]
Another point to note is the connection with Plan B Media Public Company Limited, which publicly disclosed having previously conducted a project similar to TH-AI Passport. Rakchanok said that any ordinary citizen hearing this should sense something irregular, yet the Ministry of Digital Economy Permanent Secretary does not perceive any abnormality. She mentioned they asked him two or three times but he still saw no irregularities.Tags: ["Plan B Media", "TH-AI Passport", "project similarities", "Ministry of Digital Economy", "irregularities"]
After today's meeting, they will gather existing evidence to submit for review by relevant agencies and formally request a written response from the Ministry of Digital Economy Permanent Secretary, asking him to confirm in writing that nothing irregular has occurred as stated.Tags: ["evidence submission", "Ministry of Digital Economy", "formal inquiry", "written response"]
"He does not see things as ordinary people do. He repeatedly insisted—more than ten times—that everything complies with official regulations and that he has acted correctly within all bureaucratic procedures. The greatest concern among all committee members is that, despite these repeated assurances, the Permanent Secretary intends to proceed with the project without acknowledging any irregularities," she said.Tags: ["Ministry of Digital Economy", "Permanent Secretary", "bureaucratic compliance", "committee concerns"]
Regarding the Law Committee's focus, they are monitoring shareholding, company formation, and operations that might indicate corruption or asset misappropriation. Their attention centers on financial flows and ensuring accuracy in these aspects.Tags: ["Law Committee", "shareholding", "company formation", "corruption investigation", "financial flows"]
Mr. Patchara Anantasillp, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, after completing his briefing, left by the back side of the meeting room and declined to speak with the media, responding briefly:Tags: ["Patchara Anantasillp", "Ministry of Digital Economy", "media avoidance"] "No, I have to hurry to the Government House," he said.Tags: ["Ministry of Digital Economy", "Government House", "urgent duties"]}],