Kullawalee Urges Review of Budget Cuts for Elephant and River Safety

MGR Online•Politics•10d ago

Reader Briefing

Kullawalee Noppamorndee urged the Budget Bureau to reconsider budget cuts affecting wild elephant monitoring and water quality testing for the 2027 fiscal year.

•Kullawalee Noppamorndee participated in the second reading debate of the 2027 Budget Act on September 10.
•The budget for wild elephant monitoring and pushing was cut by over 478 million baht.
•Budget for 11 automatic water quality monitoring stations and 3 new heavy metal detection tools for the Kok River was entirely cut.
•Funding for citizens affected by wild elephants was reduced from a requested 50 million baht to 10 million baht.

Overview

•On September 10, Kullawalee Noppamorndee debated the second reading of the Budget Act for the 2027 fiscal year.
•Kullawalee Noppamorndee urged the Budget Bureau to review cuts to budgets concerning the safety, health, and property of citizens.
•The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation requested 50 million baht for elephant damage compensation but received only 10 million baht.
•The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation requested 776 million baht for elephant surveillance and pushing but received 298 million baht.
•Kullawalee Noppamorndee warned that failure to build new surveillance teams affects the safety of local villagers as existing staff age or leave the system.
•The Pollution Control Department's budget for 11 automatic water quality monitoring stations and 3 new heavy metal detection tools was completely cut.
•The Pollution Control Department currently has 5 heavy metal detection tools over 10 years old, with 3 units damaged and only 2 remaining functional.
•Kullawalee Noppamorndee stated that budget cuts must be able to answer how the public will be impacted by such decisions.

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Key Entities

Person

Kullawalee Noppamorndee(กุลวลี นพอมรบดี)

Chairperson of the House Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment of the House of Representatives.

Organization

Budget Bureau(สำนักงบประมาณ)

The government agency responsible for budget allocation and reviews.

House Committee on Land, Natural Resources and Environment(คณะกรรมาธิการการที่ดิน ทรัพยากรธรรมชาติและสิ่งแวดล้อม สภาผู้แทนราษฎร)

A parliamentary committee tasked with studying and monitoring issues regarding wild elephants and citizens.

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment(กระทรวงทรัพยากรธรรมชาติและสิ่งแวดล้อม)ℹ️

The ministry whose budget was under consideration in the 2027 Budget Act debate.

Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation(กรมอุทยานแห่งชาติ สัตว์ป่า และพันธุ์พืช)ℹ️

The agency that requested budget for wild elephant compensation and surveillance.

Pollution Control Department(กรมควบคุมมลพิษ)ℹ️

The agency that proposed budget for water quality monitoring stations and heavy metal detection tools.

Place

Kok River(แม่น้ำกก)ℹ️

A river where heavy metal monitoring stations were planned to be installed.

Sai River(แม่น้ำสาย)

A river mentioned in the context of cross-border pollution issues.

Ruak River(แม่น้ำรวก)ℹ️

A river mentioned in the context of cross-border pollution issues.

Mekong River(แม่น้ำโขง)ℹ️

A river mentioned in the context of cross-border pollution issues.

Law

Budget Act for the 2027 Fiscal Year(ร่างพระราชบัญญัติงบประมาณรายจ่ายประจำปี 2570)

The draft legislation detailing government expenditures for the year 2027.