A Kla Tham Party MP criticized the 2027 budget allocation for violating rules by favoring the so-called 'Lucky Ministry,' cutting provincial development funds, and centralizing finances, thereby losing opportunities for local development.
On 29 Jun 2026 GMT+7, at the parliament during the budget bill discussion for fiscal year 2027, Mr. Pakpoom Boonpramook, MP for Tak from the Kla Tham Party, stated that the budget growth was extraordinary for the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES), which increased by 33.6%, and the Ministry of Finance, which rose by 11.6%. The DES received 13.625 billion baht, a raise that broke all rules—truly a 'Lucky Ministry.' While agreeing on the importance of developing technological infrastructure, he emphasized the need for cost-effectiveness and transparent procurement to avoid repeating issues like the TH-AI Passport project. He questioned whether the increased budget was due to the ministry's importance or influential leadership. Meanwhile, budget cuts affected the Ministry of Industry by 17%, Transport by 11%, and Agriculture by 7.1%. With such reductions, the government must explain how it plans to sustain grassroots economic production.
At the same time, provincial and regional development budgets were reduced to only 4.2 billion baht in 2027, a decrease of over 26 billion baht or 83% compared to 2026. This appears not as a normal budget cut but as a restructuring that recentralizes budget authority, drawing funds back to the central government. This change causes many provinces to lose development opportunities and hampers their ability to address local issues. The provincial group budgets were cut without clarity on which provinces will face difficulties in the future. Without development funds for infrastructure, governors must request central budget allocations. He expressed hope that the Prime Minister would allocate budgets to provinces equitably and fairly, warning against political discrimination based on provincial affiliation or political color.