Veera declared that he misunderstood and sincerely apologized, expressing regret over the year he stayed at Similan Islands. He pleaded with the Department of National Parks director-general to cancel the investigation committee, explaining that his remarks were made with good intentions to encourage park improvements.
On 6 Aug 2026 GMT+7, at the Parliament building during a special committee meeting to consider the draft budget bill for fiscal year 2027, the Royal Thai Police budget of 125,356,964,500 baht was reviewed.
Veera Theerapatranon, a committee member, said the requested budget of 125.356 billion baht was close to the fiscal year 2026 amount and expenditures were proceeding well. He admitted having little knowledge about police operations but wanted to address the investigative fund. He understood that police stations divide work into four areas: investigation, traffic, administration, and suppression. Investigations are delayed due to insufficient personnel and limited career advancement opportunities spread across different units.
He pointed out that the investigative fund budget seemed too low. However, the committee’s role is to cut budgets, not increase them. Last year’s fund was 950 million baht, this year 721 million baht, supplemented by 140 million baht from outside the budget. The system manages well and also generates about 591 million baht from fines. In 2024, expenditures exceeded income by 160 million baht, and in 2025 by nearly 200 million baht, raising concerns about sufficiency this year.
Veera then clarified the issue about his stay at Similan Islands, which had caused concern. He said he felt uneasy and yesterday spoke with the department’s director-general, acknowledging his misunderstanding and error.
“I stayed overnight at Similan Islands. I do not recall the exact year. Being older, I said it was about 4-5 years ago. After checking, it was likely either 2016 or 2017, before overnight stays were suspended. I apologize to the Similan National Park chief. For anyone who watched the live broadcast, I already explained this to the director-general. If I made a mistake, I am willing to correct and make amends. Please do not think I acted improperly. I apologize to the Department of National Parks for the incorrect information. I did stay overnight, but probably in 2026. Yesterday, I received an explanation letter from the Similan National Park chief and asked my travel companions, who were also unsure about the year. At the time, overnight stays were still allowed, but they were closed afterwards. I sincerely apologize and want to ask the director-general to cancel the investigation committee, as the error was mine. I am sorry and regret this. However, my real intention when speaking live and being recorded was to correct any factual errors, not to evade responsibility.”
Veera added that while many park accommodations are good and attractive, those at waterfalls and seaside locations need improvement. He suggested making them more comfortable and asked whether private companies could manage accommodations and services such as water, electricity, and internet without interruption. The director-general told him there is a pilot project planned for four locations in different regions, but legal and regulatory hurdles require government policy support.
“I deeply apologize. I am willing to make any corrections or reparations. I urge the director-general to cancel the investigation against the Similan National Park chief because it is not his fault; the park was already closed when he visited. The factual error was mine. If the committee is formed, please revoke it. I reiterate my regret for the incorrect information, but my intentions were good. I wanted to suggest improvements for the park. If any of my remarks caused harm to Similan National Park or its officials, I sincerely apologize and regret that. If I can do more to help, I am willing.”