MPs shake up the food budget, the remaining amount for every meal, being constantly criticized by villagers, while the committee explains that they are aiming to solve the problem of MPs using a 350 baht per day top-up card.
The House of Representatives meeting in the evening continued to consider the draft of the 2025 budget bill that the committee had already considered in Section 30, the parliamentary agencies, which the special committee considered increasing to 4 billion baht from the original 3.626 billion baht. In this regard, Mr. Suratin Picharn, MP, party-list, leader of the New Democrat Party, debated to cut the budget by 0.01% to gain the right to debate because he wanted to increase the House’s money to 30 billion baht because there are operating costs for all committees to be able to work efficiently.
This caused Mr. Pichet Chueamuangphan, the second vice president of the parliament, to act as the chairman of the meeting and immediately explain that the parliament has been handed over for less
than 3 months. Everything that has been used for the past 5 years must be improved. Nothing has been done yet. Therefore, this year, an additional budget is requested because the parliament must be maintained and managed. The budget received is small. During the 25th parliament, it did not go abroad, making it difficult to move the budget. This year, the Parliament Friendship Group must move because last year there was no money. The Friendship Group came to visit, but the parliament could not go. We are the legislative branch and received a very small budget after being cut off by several revolutions. Today, there is a shared democracy, so we are trying to build it. As for the details, we ask the committee to explain.
While Mr. Krumanit Sangphum, MP for Surin, Pheu Thai Party, debated to reduce the budget of the Office of the Secretary-General of the House of Representatives, along with discussing the arrangement of parking spaces for MPs who are some near the passenger elevators, it was found that the parki
ng spaces are always empty, while MPs who come early have to park far away. Therefore, he asked for a new system to be organized. Wherever there is space, they can park. He has seen people quarrel about parking many times. There are people who come early and park in spaces that are not theirs because they are near the elevators. When the owner of the space comes to park but cannot park, they park in the way and put the car in gear. This is considered the right to park without being wrong, but it must be considered.
‘In addition, the cost of overseas study trips should be cut. Those who want to go should use their own money. And please cancel the cost of food for MPs and committee members. I am not bothered because I eat laab, koi, and jim jum. As MPs, we take turns buying food. It is rare for us to go in to eat. As for the leftover food that we take home, I feel embarrassed. Therefore, please cancel next year’s budget and consider setting up various restaurants as markets for people to choose from,’ said Mr.
Krumanit.
Make Mr. Pichet explain that since the parliament has been established, everything has had a cause and effect. It has been developed continuously until today. He thinks that what remains will continue to develop. During the period when there are no MPs, the parliament is quiet. If they come to take over, it will be smaller. If they come from an election, it will flourish. Everything has a cause and effect.
Mr. Karoonpol Thiansuwan, a party-list MP from the Prachachon Party, said that people often say that MPs eat well, live well, and have high salaries. However, the annual food expenses for MPs, which are the expenses for food for receptions on meeting days, were set at 72 million baht per year in 2023 and 2024, but the actual disbursement was less than that. In 2023, only 40 million baht was spent, and in 2024, 31 million baht was spent. It was not used up and the budget was returned to the treasury every year. Most recently, in fiscal year 2025, the same amount was requested, but the committee c
ut 15 million, leaving 57 million baht. The food expenses for MPs on parliamentary meeting days include 3 meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If parliamentary meetings are held late, from 8:00 p.m. to midnight, there will be an additional late-night meal. If meetings last past midnight, there will be an additional special meal after midnight.
‘In summary, on a normal parliamentary meeting day, the cost of food for MPs per day is 500,000 baht. On a day when the parliamentary meeting ends late, it is 700,000 baht per day. Compared to the cost of food for officials, they only get dinner, a boxed meal for 100 baht per person. There are 930 people, or 93,000 baht per day. But from looking at the actual number of officials working, there are less than 930 people. I can’t find the source of the 930 figure. In addition, there is the cost of food for committee meetings, which is 39 million baht per year. In the past, the public has been very critical of MP food. Therefore, it is time to plan new MP food so that ther
e is not a lot of leftover food. I believe that there is a way to manage it within the budget,’ said Mr. Karoonpol.
While Mr. Thanet Kreuarat, a majority member of the House Committee, explained that the annual budget for MP food is 72 million baht, but the actual use is only 30 million baht per year, with a surplus to be returned every year. This year, the House Committee intended to reduce the MP food budget to 40 million baht per year, but in the end, the reduction was only 15 million baht because the MP food budget had to be reserved in case there was an additional parliamentary meeting on Friday, including a joint parliamentary meeting, in which the House of Representatives would be responsible for the food costs. It is known that this year there will be several joint parliamentary meetings, so the reduction was only 15 million baht.
Mr. Songyos Ramasut, a member of the majority committee, explained that the committee had made observations about the method of reducing the MP food budget, saying that it
should be changed to using a top-up card with a daily credit limit of 350 baht for MPs to use to buy food. If it is not used up, it must be returned to the House on that day. This would solve the problem of reducing the MP food budget. After the MPs had a complete debate, the meeting voted to approve the said measure.
Source: Thai News Agency