On May 29, the Thai Parliament continued its special session on the 2026 annual budget bill worth 3.78 trillion baht, with Mr. Pichet Chuamuangphan, the First Deputy House Speaker, presiding.
At 10:25 p.m., Romadon Panjor, a party-list MP from the People’s Party, delivered a speech focused on budget allocations for Thailand’s southern border provinces. He questioned whether recent budget shifts reflect a strategic policy change in how the government plans to resolve the ongoing conflict in the Deep South.
Romadon pointed out a dramatic reduction in the Southern Border Provinces’ Integrated Plan—from over 5.7 billion baht to just 1.475 billion baht, a 74% decrease, the lowest in a decade. He asked whether the government believes the southern conflict is resolved, implying that such budget cuts suggest otherwise.
He noted the integrated plan previously served as the main financial framework for addressing southern issues, involving joint indicators across multiple agencies. This year, however, the Interior Ministry received the highest allocation, rather than ISOC (Internal Security Operations Command), and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) was excluded entirely. Strategic peace dialogue and reconciliation efforts were also missing or significantly reduced.
Although the overall southern budget increased by 9%, the integrated plan now represents just 5.4% of that—highlighting a shift in emphasis. He observed that most funds are now funneled into national security strategies, with ISOC receiving 8.971 billion baht—mostly for personnel operations, making up 88% of its southern budget.
Romadon expressed concern over persistent reports of "ghost payrolls"—where salaries are paid to non-active personnel—calling it a morale issue for frontline officers. He also warned of risks in the 2.479-billion-baht budget for public works in the South, particularly with special procurement methods that may lack transparency.
He criticized the reduction in peace dialogue funding—down by 62%—suggesting it signals decreased political commitment to resolving the conflict. Romadon questioned whether the civilian-led government under Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra can truly take the lead in resolving the southern crisis amid a complicated bureaucratic and security-dominated system.
He concluded by urging the government to prioritize peaceful solutions and ensure transparency in budget use. Drawing from local voices—including a senior monk in Pattani who said civilians and monks are caught in the crossfire—Romadon stressed that the focus should be on peace, not profit or militarized dominance.
He reminded Parliament that true political resolution must replace cycles of violence, and warned that budget misuse in conflict zones creates opportunities for exploitation. His party opposes violence in all forms and urges sincere peacebuilding efforts to protect all lives in the region.