MFP insists debating crown-related budget not a threat to national security

The Election Commission (EC) has summoned Move Forward Party MPs to explain their comments during the parliamentary debate on the 2022 budget relating to the monarchy. This follows a petition filed by a then-member of the ruling party on the grounds that they were an affront to the Kingdom’s democratic regime.

From left to right: Chaitawat Tulathon, Benja Saengchan, Rangsiman Rome (Photo: MFP media team)

On 28 March, Chaitawat Tulathon, MFP Secretary-General, and MPs Benja Saengchan and Rangsiman Rome provided information to the EC in response to a complaint by Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a member of Palang Pracharat Party (PPRP) at the time, under Section 92 of the Organic Act on Political Parties.

The petition came in response to comments made by MFP MPs during the parliamentary review of the 2022 fiscal year budget on 18-20 August. According to Ruangkrai, MFP representatives gave a joint critique of Section 36 of the budget, which details proposed expenditures for royal agencies. The MPs’ speeches and presentation slides were later made public. 

Chaitawat said the EC summons did not specify which part of the parliamentary addresses were the subject of complaint. He insisted that it was the rightful duty of the people’s representatives to make every part of budget as transparent and open to scrutiny as possible and that this cannot be equated to acting as an enemy of the form of government, which would lead to party dissolution.

“The duty of the MPs of the Move Forward Party only provides benefits to the people who hold supreme power, and it makes the monarchy respected. This is in accordance with the democratic form of government, with the status of the monarchy as in other civilized countries with a monarchy under the constitution,” said Chaitawat.

Benja said that budget allocation is the job of the legislative branch, and MPs’ consideration of the annual budget is a normal procedure where MPs ensure that the state budget gives maximum benefit to the people. Her speech on the budget related to the crown was based on the documents given. 

She also said that the responses from the people she met after the parliamentary motion were positive regarding her proposal to reduce the Royal Offices’ budget.

“As an MP, I insist that I will continue to do my duty in checking the work of the government and checking the budget. We will fight, be steadfast, persist and confront those in power, to call on faith in the House of Representatives to do its job in protecting the real interests of the people,” said Benja.

Rangsiman said that it is the job of MPs to check the agencies that use taxpayers' money. Calls for the party to be disbanded will make other MPs afraid to do their job.

Ruangkrai, a Pheu Thai Party turned PPRP member, filed his petition after MFP contributions to the second and third readings of the 2022 budget, when their MPs asked that the proposed allocation of 8.761 billion baht for royal agencies be reduced by 3.568 billion baht, a 40.72% cut.

Rangsiman noted that while the request was less than last year’s 8.980 billion baht, the current economic crisis warranted further reductions. He added that the budget had been gradually increasing every year since 2018 and noted that royal expenditures were consistently over budget in the 2018 - 2020 period.

Benja Saengchan also questioned the need for 14,700 royal agency officials, a number higher than the totals in ministries tasked with overseeing the affairs of the Kingdom as a whole. 

Suttawan Suban Na Ayudhya, another MFP MP, pointed out that the 8.761 billion baht budget request was well in excess of what monarchs in developed countries received, citing the examples from Sweden (266 million), Spain (330 million), Denmark (433 million), Belgium (499 million), Norway (1,632 million), the Netherlands (1,867 million), and the United Kingdom (3,565 million).

MFP deputy leader Picharn Chaowapatanawong added that unlike the pre-2017 period, when royal agencies were still under other ministries, there was now no detailed breakdown of their budgets.

The direct and impassioned nature of the presentations led a parliament spokesperson to prohibit media coverage out of concern that the discussion might violate royal defamation statutes. Ruangkrai, a member of the budget committee, did not respond to MFP comments and queries. 

The budget passed with 392 in favour, 47 against and 3 abstentions.

On 24 January 2022, Ruangkrai submitted a letter of resignation from the PPRP.

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