MP questions watchdogs' big budgets

A Member of Parliament from Thailand's People's Party (PP) has sharply criticized the performance and substantial budgets of three key independent agencies, questioning their efficiency and effectiveness. Phanida Mongkolsawat, MP for Samut Prakan, raised concerns during the parliamentary debate on the 2027 fiscal budget bill regarding the Election Commission (EC), the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), and the State Audit Office (SAO).

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The agencies receive almost 10 billion baht in annual funding but have failed to execute their tasks efficiently.

These agencies are collectively seeking nearly 10 billion baht in funding, yet Ms. Phanida argued they have failed to execute their tasks efficiently. She pointed to the EC's ongoing, yet slow, investigation into alleged collusion in the Senate elections. Despite receiving 608 million baht for operations, many EC projects lack measurable outcomes. Furthermore, out of 311 complaints filed regarding the February 2026 general election, only 94 have been resolved, leaving 217 pending, a situation Ms. Phanida finds unacceptable given the resources allocated.

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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.

The MP also scrutinized the NACC's budget of one billion baht, suggesting a significant portion is spent on training and ceremonies rather than case resolution. The NACC receives approximately 6,000 cases annually but processes only about 3,000, resulting in tens of thousands of unresolved cases. Ms. Phanida warned that the current structure of these agencies risks reinforcing the "blue regime" system in politics, implying a lack of accountability and potential for entrenched power.

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Of 311 complaints received, only 94 had been completed, leaving 217 pending.