House Panel Displeased by Delayed Aid Distribution
The House Committee on Administration, chaired by Bhumjaithai Party's Ang Thong MP Koravee Prisananantakul, has summoned the provincial governors of Si Sa Ket, Surin, and Ubon Ratchathani to address delays and inconsistencies in the disbursement of emergency funds for border communities along the Thai-Cambodian frontier.
The summons follows the government's confirmation that budget funds were available for dispute relief. However, delays and discrepancies in the disbursement of funds have been reported, with Si Sa Ket and Surin receiving tens of millions of baht, while Ubon Ratchathani has disbursed just 55,000 baht, highlighting uneven fund distribution and administrative hurdles.
Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has responded, stating that the matter rests with the provincial governors to alleviate people's hardship. He also emphasized that red tape should not hinder the disbursement of the funds.
The committee has pledged to follow up on the cabinet's approval of compensation for the deceased and injured: 10 million baht for the family of each fallen soldier or government official, and 8 million baht for the family of each civilian killed.
The meeting will also involve the Interior Ministry, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), and the Comptroller General's Department to discuss the issues surrounding the disbursement of emergency funds.
Koravee Prisananantakul stated that Ubon Ratchathani has disbursed only 55,000 baht for dispute relief, compared to 46 million baht in Si Sa Ket and 55 million baht in Surin. He also emphasized that the government wants the budget to provide care and assistance to the people, and that the funds should be disbursed quickly and verifiably for those affected.
The committee has approved 6.6 million baht for the Local Administration Organization to be disbursed to affected civilians. The committee is also reviewing an additional 100 million baht for each province, on top of the previous 100 million baht already approved and disbursed.
The delays in disbursing emergency funds are attributed to administrative and bureaucratic inefficiencies within provincial governments and coordination gaps with central agencies, uneven prioritization or capacity differences across provinces, emergency classification nuances, complex multi-agency fund management and verification processes, and the nature of the conflict zone and emergency classification. The committee aims to address these issues to ensure swift and effective relief for affected border communities.
Politics surrounding policy-and-legislation has arisen over the disbursement of emergency funds for border communities along the Thai-Cambodian frontier, with discrepancies reported and the Interior Minister urging provincial governors to act swiftly and efficiently. General news outlets are monitoring the situation closely, as the committee has also pledged to review additional funds for each province to alleviate the hardship.
