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Sirikanya: Poor Fund Budget Insufficient, Loans Used Illegally

Sirikanya: Poor Fund Budget Insufficient, Loans Used Illegally

Thairath•Politics•2d ago

Reader Briefing

MP Sirikanya criticizes the Pracharat Rak Smiling Society Fund for insufficient budgeting, leading to the illegal use of energy crisis loan funds to cover deficits.

  • •MP Sirikanya Tansakul of the Move Forward Party has raised concerns about the Pracharat Rak Smiling Society Fund's budget management.
  • •The fund has consistently exceeded its allocated budget, requiring additional funds from reserves and central budgets.
  • •For fiscal year 2026, the fund requested 69.15 billion baht but was allocated only 30 billion baht, necessitating a nearly 18.8 billion baht loan from the energy crisis decree.
  • •Sirikanya argues this use of loan funds is illegal as it's for existing welfare, not energy crisis relief.

Overview

  • •On May 28, 2026, during a House of Representatives meeting, Sirikanya Tansakul raised concerns.
  • •The Pracharat Rak Smiling Society Fund received approximately 50 billion baht in normal budget allocation for fiscal year 2024, with an additional 120 billion baht from a digital wallet project repurposed for welfare cardholders.
  • •For fiscal year 2024, the fund was allocated 50.015 billion baht but spent 55.814 billion baht.
  • •For fiscal year 2025, the fund was allocated 50.4 billion baht but spent 62.207 billion baht.
  • •For fiscal year 2026, the fund requested 69.154 billion baht but was allocated 30 billion baht.
  • •The fund submitted a request for an additional 18.8 billion baht from the 400 billion baht emergency decree loans to cover shortfalls.
  • •The budget shortfall is attributed to insufficient allocation compared to actual spending, with the fund expected to deplete its FY2569 budget by Q2.
  • •Filling the budget gap with energy crisis loan funds is considered potentially illegal as it's for existing welfare, not direct crisis impact mitigation.

Full article content is available on the original source.

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Source: Thairath (Original)

Key Quotes

Sirikanya Tansakul
"The 18.8 billion baht you are requesting is a welfare benefit cardholders are entitled to, regardless of an energy crisis. This is for existing aid, not new relief."
18,800 ล้านบาทที่ท่านขอเพิ่มเติม มันเป็นสวัสดิการที่ผู้ถือบัตรฯ พึงมีพึงได้ ไม่ว่าจะมีวิกฤตหรือไม่มีวิกฤตการณ์พลังงานก็ตาม มันเป็นการช่วยเหลือของเก่า ไม่ใช่การเยียวยาของใหม่
Sirikanya Tansakul
"I would like to ask the presenter today how we can escape this cycle of inadequate funding for the Pracharat Rak Smiling Society Fund."
จึงอยากเรียนถามไปยังผู้มาชี้แจงวันนี้ว่า เราจะออกจากวังวนของการได้รับเงินไม่เพียงพอสำหรับกองทุนประชารัฐฯ อย่างไร

Key Entities

Person

Sirikanya Tansakul(ศิริกัญญา ตันสกุล)ℹ️
Member of Parliament and a vocal critic of the Pracharat Rak Smiling Society Fund's budget.

Organization

Pracharat Rak Smiling Society Fund(กองทุนประชารัฐสวัสดิการเพื่อเศรษฐกิจฐานรากและสังคม)
The fund at the center of criticism for its budget management and alleged misuse of funds.
Move Forward Party(พรรคประชาชน)ℹ️
The political party of MP Sirikanya Tansakul.

Law

400 Billion Baht Loan Decree(พ.ร.ก.เงินกู้ฯ 400,000 ล้านบาท)
The legal instrument authorizing loans, here criticized for its funds being used for non-crisis related expenses.