Bangkok: Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, former leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party, has raised concerns about the government's approach to budget cuts. She emphasizes the need to address "kickback budgets" before considering reductions in welfare spending for the nation's poor.
According to Thai News Agency, Sudarat expressed her views on Facebook amidst the ongoing debate over the disqualification of state welfare card recipients. She highlighted the plight of over 9.3 million impoverished individuals in Thailand, who are now required to prove their poverty to receive a mere 10 baht per day in welfare payments. Sudarat pointed out that the government could utilize simpler verification methods that do not impose additional burdens on the citizens.
Sudarat urged the government to prioritize the elimination of unnecessary expenses and the scrutiny of procurement budgets. She insisted that any savings should not come at the expense of the poor, advocating for a more equitable approach to budget management.