Category: The Bangkok Post

Highway police have arrested four Chinese men, suspected of having links to a scam network, on a long-distance southern bus route in Tha Sae district of Chumphon province.

.dias ecilop ,yadirF fo sruoh ylrae eht ni tcirtsid eaS ahT fo mahK ahT nobmat ni tinu ecivres ecilop yawhgih eaS ahT fo tnorf ni dedneherppa erew ,63 dna 81 fo sega eht neewteb ,nem esenihC ruof ehT

.seitirohtua edave ot tpmetta na ni stsiruot sa sevlesmeht gnisiugsid elihw dnaliahT nrehtuos ot sub laicnivorpretni yb gnillevart saw ,krowten macs a ot detcennoc eb ot deveileb ,nem esenihC fo puorg a taht detroper ohw ,tnamrofni na morf ffo-pit a dewollof noitarepo ehT

;psbn and .sregnessap fo noitcepsni deliated a detcudnoc dna elcihev eht deppots sreciffo ehT .tinu ecivres ecilop yawhgih eht dessap ti sa noitpircsed s’tnamrofni eht gnihctam sub a deifitnedi dna aera eht ni setuor derotinom yltneuqesbus ecilop yawhgiH

.dnaliahT ni yats rieht gnisirohtua noitatnemucod dna stropssap wohs ot sregnessap esenihC detcepsus ruof eht deksa maet ecilop eht ,hcraes eht gniruD

.gninoitseuq rof ni meht ekat ot sreciffo eht gnitpmorp ,stnemucod noitargimmi rehto ro sasiv ,stropssap yna ecudorp ot elbanu erew ruof lla ,revewoH

.stnemucod noitargimmi dilav on dessessop dna yllagelli dnaliahT deretne dah yeht dettimda ruof lla ,gninoitseuq gniruD

.sgnideecorp lagel rehtruf rof noitats ecilop eaS ahT ot revo dednah retal erew stcepsus ehT .noissimrep tuohtiw dnaliahT ni gnidiser dna gniretne htiw degrahc yllaitini erew yehT

Thailand will send four padel athletes to compete at the 20th Asian Games in Japan as the sport has been included as a medal event in the regional tournament for the first time.

.rebmetpeS ni daisA eht ni etapicitrap ot elba eb won lliw dna )TCON( dnaliahT fo eettimmoC cipmylO lanoitaN eht morf lavorppa deviecer sah maet lanoitan eht ,)TAS( dnaliahT fo ytirohtuA stropS eht htiw noitaicossa strops lanoitan desingocer a sa gniretsiger fo ssecorp eht ni si noitaicossA ledaP dnaliahT eht elihW

.noitaicossA ledaP dnaliahT eht fo tnediserp ,toriahC kalapuS dias “,semaG naisA s’raey siht ot setelhta dnes ot dnaliahT rof erised a si ereht ,ACO eht yb desingocer si ydob gninrevog naisA s’trops eht ecnis dna ,seirtnuoc 71 fo tuo hsinif ecalp-htxis a deveihca setelhta elamef iahT .rebotcO tsal ,rataQ ,ahoD ni puC aisA eht ta setelhta iahT fo ecnamrofrep evitisop eht gnitic ,dnaliahT fo eettimmoC cipmylO lanoitaN eht morf setelhta ledap fo noitapicitrap eht detseuqer ylsuoiverp dah )ACO( aisA fo licnuoC cipmylO ehT”

.dedda ehs “,sesnepxe lla rof elbisnopser eb lliw noitaicossa eht tub ,semaG naisA eht ot setelhta ruo dnes ot yaw a gnidnif ni troffe sti rof eettimmoC cipmylO iahT eht knaht eW .tegdub detacolla eht rednu etepmoc tonnac setelhta ruo erofereht dna dnaliahT fo ytirohtuA stropS eht htiw ydob lanoitan desingocer a sa gniretsiger fo ssecorp eht ni si noitaicossA ledaP eht ,revewoH”

.lanreB oreleM leugiM drainapS yb dehcaoc era yehT .gnaergnurirS serraD dna tresarpkraN eilataN ,elamaloiccoM onafetS ,lawaR vanrA :nemow owt dna nem owt edulcni maet iahT ehT .semaG naisA ht02 eht ta sbarg rof pu sladem dlog owt dna — selbuod s’nemow dna selbuod s’nem eht — stneve owt eb lliw erehT

.3 tcO ot 92 tpeS morf dleh eb lliw noititepmoc ledap ehT .kalapuS dedda ,aisenodnI dna ,narI ,napaJ stsoh era srotitepmoc tsegnorts s’dnaliahT

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) and its Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO) has partnered with AIS Academy and IRIS Consulting to launch the Thailand AI Readiness Index project (TARI), the nation’s first such tool for organisations.

The partnership aims to help organisations assess their artificial intelligence (AI) readiness and strengthen business competitiveness and country policy in the era of AI.

The findings from the assessment are set to be introduced in December.

By 2027, organisations that participate in the survey receive an AI Capability Report, similar to an AI Capability Assessment certificate.

Thailand wants to build AI infrastructure to become a cost-effective hub for technology and data centres.

“AI is no longer just a technology; it is a strategic force shaping national development across the economy, industry, innovation and the workforce,” said MHESI Minister Yodchanan Wongsawat at the launch of the project.

He said that Thai organisations’ ability to adopt AI effectively will be critical to strengthening the country’s long-term competitiveness.

TARI offers a clear navigation of AI readiness, helping Thailand assess its capabilities against regional and global peers, identify gaps, and design targeted policies and support programmes, said Mr Yodchanan, who is also a member of the National AI Committee.

He said that AI development must be a national effort under the “AI for All” agenda, with MHESI laying the foundations in science, technology, talent development, and practical AI use cases in industry, agriculture and healthcare.

The push comes as Thailand faces three major global disruptions: tech competition, climate change, and an aged society.

Addressing these challenges will require stronger data capabilities, from satellite data for environmental monitoring to genomic data for precision medicine.

“Thailand cannot rely solely on foreign technology and infrastructure. To build true resilience and innovation, we must develop our own technology structures, including data centres, local hardware capabilities, and secure storage for strategic datasets,” said Mr Yodchanan.

Thailand’s geopolitical neutrality and central location in Southeast Asia enable the country to become a cost-effective hub for technology and data centres, he said.

Critical milestone

“Thailand is at a critical milestone in its transition to an AI economy — one that is reshaping how we work and redefining national competitiveness,” said Kantima Lerlertyuttitham, deputy chief executive and chief corporate officer at AIS.

The key question is not whether AI will replace people, but how we prepare people, organisations, and the nation to use AI to boost productivity and economic growth, she said.

Most organisations do not lack technology — they lack clarity on their readiness, where to begin, and how to turn AI into real business impact, said Ms Kantima.

“Based on AIS’s experience in driving AI transformation, from building AI literacy and upskilling employees to embedding AI into enterprise products and services, we believe AI adoption must start with a clear understanding of readiness across people, skills, data, processes, and culture, not technology investment alone,” she said.

Guided by AIS’s vision of “Think Ahead for Thais”, AIS is working with leading partners to develop TARI as a common tool to help Thai organisations assess readiness, identify gaps, and define a practical path for AI adoption.

“TARI will be an important mechanism to help Thai organisations and the country move confidently toward the AI economy — where competitiveness is defined by who is better prepared to use it effectively,” Ms Kantima added.

“For TARI, we are driven by social responsibility. We stand on the belief that a company cannot grow if the country does not grow.”

TARI is a tool to help the private sector move forward systematically with a clear framework, rather than just purchasing technology, she said.

NXPO president Surachai Sathitkunarat said a key challenge in AI policy development is the lack of reliable, comprehensive data on Thai organisations’ AI readiness.

Current data remains fragmented, making it difficult to assess readiness across industries.

TARI will provide a common assessment framework to give all sectors a clearer view of their readiness.

“NXPO will use aggregated insights from TARI to design industry-specific support measures, with strong data governance to build trust and ensure responsible use of data for policy development,” said Mr Surachai.

AI CAPABILITY REPORT

Chatchai Khunpitiluck, head of AIS Academy, said in 2027 that the TARI assessment will be conducted twice a year, alongside the launch of the “AI Capability Report”, a health check-up for organisations to gauge their AI readiness.

“After completing the assessment, organisations will receive an index score that allows them to benchmark their AI readiness against peers in their industry and the national average,” Mr Chatchai said.

He said corporate AI adoption comes with risks, including legal compliance, customer data privacy, and data leakage.

Through this initiative, organisations will be able to access an AI readiness assessment free of charge, although such assessments are typically offered as paid services.

The index will serve as a practical checklist for executives to navigate the AI wave, balance risks with business benefits, and avoid investing in AI tools before their foundations — such as AI policy, data readiness, and governance — are in place.

The assessment will be structured into three tiers: pioneer organisations led by senior executives from major industries, including in-depth interviews, corporate partners, and community participants like SMEs.

Boriwat Pinpradab, chairman of IRIS Consulting, said the company sees many organisations eager to adopt AI, but are uncertain about whether to begin with people, data or processes.

Some already have AI projects underway but struggle to scale impact across the organisation, which is why a standardised assessment tool is essential.

Under this collaboration, TARI assesses organisational readiness across eight dimensions: AI strategy and leadership; data management; technology and infrastructure; people and AI skills; governance and risk; AI use cases and business value creation; organisational culture and change management; and AI implementation and realised impact.

Over 40 leading organisations have joined as pioneers in TARI. The initiative will later expand to SMEs and supply chains, targeting 5,000 participants in the first year and 20,000 in the next phase.

Koh Samui in Surat Thani has been ranked the top island in Asia-Pacific in the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards 2026.

Deputy government spokeswoman Ploythalay Laksameesaengjan said the recognition reinforces Koh Samui’s status as a world-class destination, reflecting strong destination management and its ability to welcome international visitors with luxury service standards alongside well-preserved natural surroundings.

She said Koh Samui also performed strongly in other categories. Samui International Airport was ranked second in the “Best Airports” category in Asia-Pacific, behind Singapore’s Changi Airport, with praise for its design that blends with nature and its passenger-friendly services.

In the “Best Beach + Island Resorts in Thailand” category, five Koh Samui resorts were listed among the region’s top 10. Cape Fahn Hotel ranked second, followed by Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui in fifth, Kimpton Kitalay Samui in seventh, Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort in eighth, and Centara Reserve Samui in ninth.

She said the government supports island tourism development policies aimed at distributing income to local communities while improving safety and travel convenience.

She added that infrastructure upgrades are being promoted to strengthen air connectivity to island destinations and support wider tourism growth.

She said efforts are also focused on sustainable tourism, positioning Koh Samui as a model for eco-friendly island development that balances economic opportunity with environmental protection and long-term conservation of natural resources.

Thailand no longer has a fiscal buffer to contain rising public debt, making it necessary to accelerate reforms for both the economy and the public sector to lift economic growth closer to its full potential, according to the Finance Ministry.

A ministry source who requested anonymity said its Fiscal Risk Report, prepared following the completion of fiscal 2025 to assess the government’s medium-term fiscal risks in terms of debt sustainability, underscored the need for comprehensive structural reforms to both the economy and the public sector, alongside a serious commitment to fiscal consolidation.

According to the debt sustainability analysis for fiscal 2024-2026, the positive structural contribution from economic growth has declined significantly. As a result, the government’s fiscal space for net borrowing (after deducting principal repayments) without increasing the public debt-to-GDP ratio has narrowed to only 1.5% of GDP.

Although domestic borrowing conditions remain stable, the continued accumulation of outstanding debt at elevated levels has increased the structural burden of interest payments to around 1.5% of GDP. As a consequence, Thailand has effectively exhausted the structural buffer that previously helped contain public debt levels, said the source.

If the government implements serious fiscal consolidation in accordance with the medium-term fiscal framework for 2027-2030, Thailand could begin to lose debt sustainability if economic growth cannot exceed the pace recorded during the post-pandemic period, noted the ministry.

In addition to strict fiscal consolidation, accelerating structural reforms for both the economy and the public sector to enable medium-term economic growth to approach its full potential is essential to maintain the country’s debt sustainability, noted the source.

While government expenditures classified as hard to cut (salaries, welfare benefits for civil servants, and public welfare programmes) slowed somewhat in fiscal 2025, they continue to account for a high proportion of the budget. Such expenditures increased by 3.4% from the previous fiscal year and represented 67.4% of total net budget expenditures.

Spending on debt servicing, contractual obligations and public welfare programmes also continued to grow at a relatively high rate, said the source.

Thailand’s public debt has risen rapidly since the pandemic, when the government issued two emergency borrowing decrees totalling 1.5 trillion baht to mitigate the pandemic’s impact on the public.

As of April 2019, before the pandemic, Thailand’s public debt tallied 6.88 trillion baht, equivalent to 41.2% of GDP. By April 2026, public debt rose to 12.8 trillion baht or 66.7% of GDP, approaching the fiscal sustainability ceiling of 70% of GDP.

Meanwhile, the ministry proposed tax reforms to increase government revenue from 2026-2030. The proposals include raising the value-added tax (VAT) rate from 7% to 10%, with a phased increase of 1.5 percentage points in 2028 and a further 1.5 percentage points in 2030.

If the VAT rate is successfully increased to 10% as planned, the ministry estimates annual VAT revenue would rise by 345 billion baht. However, despite more than a decade of discussions, no administration has succeeded in increasing the VAT rate.

EVA Air, a Skytrax 5-star airline which has been consistently recognised for its high service standards for 11 consecutive years, is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its Taipei-Bangkok (TPE-BKK) route with a special passenger welcome event held at Suvarnabhumi Airport with key partners, including Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Founded in 1989, EVA Air operates its main hub at Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan and selected Bangkok as one of its earliest international destinations. Today, the airline serves around 60 destinations worldwide and is widely recognized as one of the leading global carriers, committed to delivering high-quality service, safety, and operational excellence.

The anniversary celebration saw the arrival of flights BR211 and BR212, operated with Boeing aircraft B-16722 featuring the special ‘Besties Jet’ livery, and symbolises the long-standing connection between EVA Air and its passengers over the past 35 years. The event was honoured by the presence of Ms. Kannika Premprasert, Deputy General Manager, Operation Group 2, Suvarnabhumi Airport, representing Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT), and Ms. Pattaranong Na Chiangmai, Deputy Governor for Asia and South Pacific Markets, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), who joined EVA Air representatives in welcoming arriving passengers and commemorating the 35th anniversary of the Taipei-Bangkok route at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Their participation highlighted the strong partnership between Thailand’s tourism and aviation sectors in promoting travel between Thailand and Taiwan.

Passengers were warmly welcomed through the collaborative efforts of EVA Air, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT), and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), including commemorative souvenirs and special anniversary activities prepared to mark this important milestone.

‘Over the past 35 years, EVA Air has not only served as a carrier connecting two destinations, but also as a bridge of travel connections that has brought people, cultures, and meaningful moments together. We are deeply honoured to have been part of our passengers’ journeys and shared so many memorable experiences over the years.

Our commitment to delivering care, comfort, and trust in every detail of the travel experience has been recognised by the industry, including recent honors from the APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association) Awards, where EVA Air received two global distinctions for Best Seat Comfort and Best Overall Airline in the Great China region. We are also proud to have been awarded a 7-Star Plus Safety Rating by AirlineRatings.com this year, reflecting our unwavering commitment to safety and operational excellence.

Following Keir Starmer’s resignation as the United Kingdom’s prime minister, Andy Burnham, the popular Labour politician who just won a seat in parliament in a special election, appears more likely than ever to succeed him. Whether or not this happens, however, the political drama has focused attention on the UK’s second city, Manchester, where Mr Burnham served as mayor for nearly a decade.

Known internationally for its football clubs and music scene, Greater Manchester has become the UK’s fastest-growing region. Investment has been flowing in, especially to sectors like professional services and technology. Visitors note the buzz of outstanding restaurants, a vibrant art scene, and plenty of construction.

The model that produced this success began coming into focus in 2009, when the Manchester Independent Economic Review panel — of which I was a member and lead author — shared the seven analyses it had commissioned with the UK Treasury and then-Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. Our report emphasised the importance of long-term investment in skills, especially in children’s early years, and transport.

As Ed Glaeser of Harvard University observed in 2003, long-run urban success depends on the ability to respond to challenges. A strong human capital base is vital to this ability, just as it is to individuals’ ability to seize the opportunities a growing city has to offer. Building this base was therefore our top policy recommendation.

The second priority — transport — similarly aimed to expand opportunity. Reliable and accessible public-transport links help to create a “thick” labour market, in which workers are connected to more potential employers. In a country where authority is exceptionally centralised, the review also made the case for devolving some spending and decision-making powers to a new Combined Authority for the Manchester City region.

A decade later — two years after Mr Burnham became mayor — I chaired the Greater Manchester Independent Prosperity Review, which had been tasked with producing an updated economic assessment. The review again emphasised skills, labour-market transitions, and infrastructure, but added a focus on the innovation ecosystem.

If there is another review in 2029, I would gladly take part. But the mere fact that such assessments are being conducted periodically highlights two features of Manchester’s success: openness to a thorough and pragmatic analysis of the economy’s strengths and weaknesses, and, equally important, strategic intent.

Reviving a deindustrialised and depressed region is a long game. By the time the 2009 review took place, a generation of civic leaders — notably, Chief Executive Howard Bernstein and elected Council Leader Richard Leese — had spent years building a political coalition in favour of devolving some powers to the city. And since 2009, the city’s leaders, including Mr Burnham, have stuck with the same broad set of policies. This stability contrasts sharply with the policy churn seen at the national level.

The strategy for reviving Greater Manchester is not without dissenters. It has been guided by the understanding that economic growth is a prerequisite for anything else political leaders might want to do, including addressing large inequalities among the city’s boroughs. But for some critics of the city’s leadership, the contrast between the shiny new skyscrapers in the city centre and the more deprived areas beyond it is offensive.

Nonetheless, there has been enough buy-in to sustain a long-term effort to strengthen the foundations of growth. The results speak for themselves. Greater Manchester has the UK’s largest light-rail and tram network — one of only eight in the country — which has been incrementally expanded since its 1992 inauguration. And it has become the first region outside London in almost 40 years to bring all local bus services under local control as part of the Bee Network, which Mr Burnham introduced in 2021.

Mr Burnham is sometimes mocked for his enthusiasm for the Bee Network. But the service could not be more important to Manchester’s future prosperity. Local buses account for three-fifths of all public-transport journeys in the UK. If congestion in most cities is ever to be solved, these networks will have to be expanded.

Beyond improving residents’ everyday lives, Manchester’s leaders have built a platform for growth centred on its universities and innovation ecosystem. This reinvention has been decades in the making, and until recently, the results looked disappointing. But once the virtuous cycle of growth was activated, progress accelerated — and became self-reinforcing.

Can the UK’s likely next prime minister replicate the Manchester model at the national level? Not entirely. Local authorities are better equipped than national leaders to identify their region’s needs, coordinate across functions, and build consensus. And the sheer number of challenges a prime minister must confront dwarfs those faced by any municipal government.

But the core lessons of the Manchester model do apply. Ensuring that people have the skills and infrastructure they need to find jobs, get to work, and build their businesses is vital to growth. And it can be achieved only if the authorities stick with their strategy for the long term. As Ernest Hemingway had one of his characters famously observe, bankruptcy happens “gradually and then suddenly”. The same is true of prosperity. ©2026 Project Syndicate

Diane Coyle, Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge, is the author of ‘Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be’ (Princeton University Press, 2021) and ‘The Measure of Progress: Counting What Really Matters’ (Princeton University Press, 2025).

Phuket’s luxury residential market is expected to remain resilient this year, driven by sustained foreign demand, rising land prices and a strong appetite for branded residences, even as competition intensifies among condo developers.

According to property consultancy Knight Frank Thailand, luxury and branded residential projects in prime west coast locations are expected to continue outperforming the broader market throughout 2026.

Developments in Bang Tao, Layan, Kamala and Cherng Talay remain the most sought-after, particularly projects associated with internationally recognised hotel brands, professional rental management and integrated lifestyle facilities.

Nattha Kahapana, partner and managing director of Knight Frank Thailand, said luxury villas continue to outperform condos as affluent overseas buyers increasingly prioritise lifestyle over investment alone.

“While condos remain an important component of Phuket’s residential market, villas continue to outperform, reflecting evolving buyer preferences among affluent international purchasers,” he said.

Villa sales increased by 12.9% in 2025 despite softer condo demand, highlighting the growing preference for larger homes offering greater privacy and long-term value.

“Today’s buyers are seeking more than a holiday home. They are looking for privacy, space, lifestyle and long-term value,” Mr Nattha said.

He said Phuket’s strengthening position as a global lifestyle destination is expected to support persistent demand for luxury and ultra-luxury villas in prime west coast locations over the coming years.

According to Knight Frank, competition is expected to intensify, particularly among off-plan condo projects launched during the past 3-4 years.

A large pipeline of new developments is likely to increase competition through pricing, promotional campaigns and sales incentives as developers compete for buyers.

Projects in secondary locations or those lacking clear product differentiation might face slower sales and longer absorption periods.

Buyers are becoming increasingly selective, favouring projects backed by reputable developers, internationally recognised brands and realistic rental income potential.

Land prices along Phuket’s west coast are also projected to keep rising, due to limited development sites in Bang Tao, Laguna, Layan and Kamala.

The scarcity of beachfront and seaview land is expected to underpin long-term capital appreciation for both luxury condominiums and villas.

Mr Nattha said infrastructure improvements would create new growth opportunities beyond Phuket’s traditional investment hotspots.

“The proposed airport in neighbouring Phangnga, together with ongoing transport infrastructure upgrades, is expected to stimulate residential development in northern Phuket and surrounding areas,” he added.

Emerging destinations such as Mai Khao, Nai Yang, Thai Mueang and Natai are likely to attract greater developer interest as connectivity improves.

Foreign buyers are expected to remain the primary driver of Phuket’s residential market, with demand still deriving mainly from Russia, China, Europe, India and the Middle East.

These buyers remain active across holiday homes, investment properties and long-term residential purchases, reinforcing Phuket’s position as one of Asia’s leading international property destinations.

Mr Nattha said the island’s rental market also remains attractive, with condominiums and pool villas generating stronger rental yields than many other residential markets in Thailand.

However, rental performance remains closely tied to tourism cycles, particularly the difference between high and low seasons.

Projects relying heavily on short-term holiday rentals are likely to experience greater fluctuations in occupancy and rental income than developments targeting longer-term residents or professionally managed leasing programmes.

Deputy Prime Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has scheduled travel to Songkhla on Friday to meet local business leaders and discuss measures to prevent a repeat of the devastating floods that struck Hat Yai late last year, as concerns mount ahead of the coming rainy season.

Speaking on Thursday, Sitthipong Sitthiphataraprabha, president of the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotels Association, expressed growing anxiety that the government’s flood prevention plans for Hat Yai remain unclear, despite six months having passed since last year’s major flooding, which severely disrupted the city’s economy and tourism sector.

Mr Sittipong also mentioned financial assistance measures, such as low-interest loans for affected businesses, which Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul promised during his delegation’s visit to Hat Yai after water levels lowered, saying such aid has yet to be implemented.

He added that four Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) MPs for Songkhla gathered proposals from the private sector and submitted them to the government in March, but no clear response or progress has been communicated.

According to association president, the government should have flood prevention measures in place instead of providing post-disaster compensation. He noted business owners are not seeking financial assistance, because it is not worthwhile to repeatedly rebuild businesses after flooding.

Without effective solutions, he warned, flooding could become a major weakness for Hat Yai’s future development and undermine investor and tourist confidence.

During Mr Phiphat’s visit to Songkhla on Friday, he has been scheduled to join a discussion with the Songkhla Joint Public-Private Consultative Committee following the body’s call for a budget of 2.2 billion baht for flood prevention projects in Hat Yai.

Meanwhile, Deputy Interior Minister Jeseth Thaiseth presided over a disaster management exercise in Songkhla as part of the 2026 national flood response drill. The exercise was organised by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation following lessons learned from last year’s severe flooding in the province.

Mr Jeseth stressed that such drills are essential because long-term budget allocations for flood prevention projects may not arrive in time this year, due to their complexity and the need for coordination among several agencies.

He urged all officials to remain fully prepared, describing natural disasters as ‘the enemy’ and emergency preparedness exercises as ‘the strategy’ needed to reduce losses and protect lives.

A People’s Party (PP) MP has questioned the performance of three constitutional independent agencies, saying they receive almost 10 billion baht in annual funding but have failed to execute their tasks efficiently.

The MP also warned their current structure risks reinforcing the “blue regime” system in politics.

Speaking during the third day of the parliamentary debate on the 2027 fiscal budget bill on Wednesday, Phanida Mongkolsawat, PP MP for Samut Prakan, scrutinised budget requests for the Election Commission (EC), the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the State Audit Office (SAO).

The budget bill, proposed by the cabinet, seeks a total expenditure of 3.7 trillion baht.

Ms Phanida said the agencies are collectively seeking nearly 10 billion baht, despite concerns about transparency and accountability.

Examples of this included the EC’s unresolved investigation into the alleged collusion in the Senate election.

While the investigation is ongoing, the current Senate has gone on to appoint a majority of members to several independent agencies, including four of seven for the EC, four of nine for the NACC and four of seven for the SAO, she said.

In total, the EC was allocated 608 million baht for operations, yet many projects lacked measurable outcomes.

She also noted that complaints over the February 2026 general election remained largely unresolved. Of 311 complaints received, only 94 had been completed, leaving 217 pending.

This is despite the appointment of 600 election inspectors nationwide and the installation of tools including the “Pineapple Eye” application for reporting election complaints and the “Rabbit Report” system for real-time election results, which was later cancelled.

Ms Phanida argued that while the NACC has an operating budget of one billion baht, most of it is spent on training, instilling an anti-corruption mindset, and holding award ceremonies.

She noted the NACC receives 6,000 cases annually, processes only 3,000, leaving tens of thousands pending.

The agencies have also sought more budgets for various construction projects.