Delay in providing aid angers House Committee
The House Committee on Administration has raised concerns over delays and inconsistencies in the disbursement of emergency funds to border communities in Si Sa Ket, Surin, and Ubon Ratchathani. The funds, intended to support these communities, have been affected by bureaucratic hurdles and uneven provincial execution.
The meeting, which included the Interior Ministry, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), the Comptroller General's Department, and the Bhumjaithai Party's Ang Thong MP, Koravee Prisananantakul (the committee chairman), was held to ensure the efficient and effective disbursement of these emergency funds.
Koravee expressed concern that red tape should not hinder the quick and verifiable disbursement of funds to those affected. He noted that while the government confirmed the availability of budget funds for dispute relief, significant disparities exist: Ubon Ratchathani disbursed only 55,000 baht compared to 46 million baht in Si Sa Ket and 55 million baht in Surin.
The committee urged faster and more transparent fund distribution and additional compensation measures for casualties. The Interior Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, stated that the responsibility lies with the provincial governors to ease hardships.
In a bid to address these issues, the committee has reviewed an additional 100 million baht for each province, on top of the previous 100 million baht already approved and disbursed. The emergency funds are intended to provide care and assistance to people along the Thai-Cambodian frontier.
The root causes of the delays are:
- Bureaucratic red tape slowing fund approval and disbursement processes.
- Inconsistent provincial implementation, with some provinces distributing much less than others.
- The official narrative from bureaucrats that processes are smooth, contradicting actual difficulties reported by the House Committee.
- Responsibility on provincial authorities to expedite relief, but apparent lack of coordination or urgency.
The committee has summoned the provincial governors and involved ministries, emphasising the need for a swift resolution to ensure aid reaches those in need as quickly and transparently as possible. Mr. Koravee also expressed the need for the interior minister to appear before the committee to provide an explanation.
[1] House Committee on Administration Meeting Minutes [2] [3] [4] [5] (No relevant details found specifically about this disbursement issue on the Thai-Cambodian border)
- The House Committee on Administration, in a bid to ensure efficient and effective disbursement of emergency funds, has summoned the provincial governors and involved ministries, focusing on policy-and-legislation changes to streamline fund distribution and reduce bureaucratic red tape.
- In the midst of the general news on delays in emergency fund disbursement to border communities, politics come into play as the committee chair, Koravee Prisananantakul, emphasizes the need for transparency and swift resolution in fund distribution, calling for the Interior Minister to provide an explanation.
