Chatchart explains 5 billion baht surplus in revenue over expenditure for '68

Prachachat•General•18d ago

Reader Briefing

Bangkok Governor Chatchart Sittipunt clarifies the 5.39 billion baht revenue surplus for fiscal year 2025, attributing it to balanced budgeting, cost savings, and efficient revenue collection.

•Bangkok Governor Chatchart Sittipunt explained the fiscal year 2025 budget with revenue exceeding expenditure by 5,395.56 million baht.
•The surplus was achieved through a balanced budget approach, cost-saving measures, and increased revenue collection efficiency.
•A significant portion of accumulated funds is being used to pay off a BTS debt of over 60 billion baht.
•The governor emphasized that this surplus is a result of ongoing management and past accumulations, not solely his administration's work.

Overview

•Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced in the Royal Gazette that for fiscal year 2025, revenue exceeded estimated revenue while expenditure was lower than estimated, resulting in a spending balance with revenue exceeding expenditure by 5,395.56 million baht.
•Chatchart Sittipunt stated that the BMA operates on a 'balanced budget' principle, where revenue and expenditure are equal, due to the BMA not incurring debt and having never borrowed money.
•In fiscal year 2025, an accumulated surplus of over 5,000 million baht was generated, attributed to higher-than-expected revenue collection and cost savings from lower bid prices.
•The collected surplus is being used to pay off a debt to BTS amounting to over 60,000 million baht, funded from reserve funds accumulated over many decades.
•The Governor warned that if these reserve funds are depleted by debt payments, future administrations might face budget shortages for emergencies.
•Chatchart Sittipunt is actively managing BMA finances for maximum efficiency to ensure future fund availability.
•The current administration is using accumulated funds to pay off a BTS debt of over 60,000 million baht, a liability incurred before their tenure.
•Chatchart Sittipunt reiterated the policy of maximizing revenue collection and minimizing expenses, including securing optimal prices through bidding, to sustain financial health.

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Source: Prachachat (Original)

Key Quotes

Chatchart Sittipunt

"Therefore, we try to manage with maximum efficiency to have money left for the future. I emphasize that it's not claimed as solely our achievement, because in the past there have been periods with positive and negative figures. But we have emphasized the policy of collecting as much revenue as possible, along with saving expenses and bidding for work at the most appropriate prices."

ดังนั้น เราจึงพยายามบริหารให้มีประสิทธิภาพสูงสุด เพื่อให้มีเงินเหลือไว้สำหรับอนาคต ย้ำว่าไม่ได้เคลมว่าเป็นผลงานเฉพาะของเรา เพราะในอดีตก็มีทั้งช่วงที่ตัวเลขเป็นบวกและติดลบ แต่เราได้เน้นย้ำนโยบายการจัดเก็บรายได้ให้ได้มากที่สุด ควบคู่ไปกับการประหยัดค่าใช้จ่าย และการประมูลงานให้ได้ราคาที่เหมาะสมที่สุด

Key Entities

Person

Chatchart Sittipunt(ชัชชาติ สิทธิพันธุ์)ℹ️

Governor of Bangkok (กทม.) who explained the city's fiscal surplus.

Organization

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)(กรุงเทพมหานคร (กทม.))ℹ️

The municipal government of Bangkok, whose fiscal performance and policies are discussed.

Royal Gazette(ราชกิจจานุเบกษา)ℹ️

The official publication where announcements, including budget statements, of the BMA are made.

BTSℹ️

The entity to which the BMA owes a debt of over 60 billion baht.

Timeline

May 1, 2026(1 พฤษภาคม 2026)

The date on which the Royal Gazette published the BMA's fiscal year 2025 financial results.