At 1:00 PM on June 9 at Parliament, Mr. Parit Wacharasindhu, a list MP from the People's Party (PP), gave an interview before the Extraordinary Committee's meeting to deliberate the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Bill. He stated that today's meeting would focus on setting a framework for the committee’s work. The People's Party representatives have initially discussed four proposals to guide the committee’s review, pending agreement from other parties:

  1. The committee should set a common goal to trim unnecessary spending, with an eye toward aligning with the government’s broader economic stimulus and restructuring plans—especially for projects not yet included in the FY2026 bill.
  2. Ministers, rather than civil servants, should be held accountable for explaining each ministry’s budget. This mirrors practices in democratic countries and ensures political responsibility, particularly for politically-initiated projects.
  3. The meetings of the budget committee should be broadcast live to promote public transparency and accountability.
  4. Government agencies should submit digital, analyzable data files (e.g., Excel spreadsheets) instead of scanned or photographed documents to enhance budget scrutiny.

When asked about the expected budget cut, Ms. Sirikanya Tansakul, PP MP and deputy party leader, said they aim to reduce spending by approximately 50 billion baht. However, the final figure depends on the government's priorities—some non-essential items, like overseas trips or seminars, could be postponed, especially if a crisis emerges next year.

Ms. Sirikanya added that if deeper cuts of up to 100 billion baht are needed, prioritization and alignment with committee guidelines would be essential.

Asked whether the party plans to reduce Parliament's own budget, Mr. Parit affirmed that all public funds should be subject to scrutiny. If any expenditure is unnecessary, non-urgent, or lacks transparency, it should be cut—including within Parliament. He cited a 120-million-baht renovation project for the committee’s meeting room as an example of questionable urgency.

Regarding committee roles, Ms. Rakchanok Srinok, a Bangkok MP from PP, said she would volunteer to serve as vice-chair this year to help run meetings, especially in the absence of government members. Ms. Sirikanya confirmed this would be the party’s sole nomination and expected it to be accepted due to internal seat-sharing arrangements.