According to Move Forward Party ( MFP ) spokeswoman Pukkamon Nunarnan, the 2024 budget bill does not address the nation’s pressing issues of inequality in education, public health, and city development.
Ms. Pukkamon, a party-list MP, stated during the second day of the bill’s debate on Friday that the government had not properly allocated funds for the 23 billion baht statewide development budget and that this allocation was no different from that made under Prayut Chan-o-cha, the previous administration.
She claimed that although geographical inequality is a serious issue, the 2024 bill appears to support centralization more than support it.
The state with the highest populace and best economic growth will probably receive the largest portion of the budget under this recent bill.
” Developed counties will be more productive and impoverished provincial areas will suffer more if that planning stays the same. How then can hunger be ended?
According to the plan, more than 52 % of the provincial development resources will be used to construct bridges, roads, and traffic lights, with an additional 20 % going toward expanding water sources.
But, Ms. Pukkamon asserted that she was only aware of the plans to build additional rivers to guard rivers as of yet.
According to her, the worst billing system was found in municipal budgets, with an average of 25 % of them being reimbursed annually. According to Ms. Pukkamon, learning disparity should also have been taken into account because the majority of the country’s top-notch schools are located in Bangkok.
The majority of Bangkok schools received the highest scores, according to the most recent Ordinary National Education Test (O-Net ). With an average ranking difference of 20 points, students with poor grades frequently come from the southern provinces, like Narathiwat.
The O-Net values of the students show the opportunities they have to further their education. The budget allocation for 2024 “does n’t help at all to end the inequality in this field,” she claimed.
She also mentioned the lack of justice in terms of who has easy access to medical care. One dentist in Bangkok had address 500 people given the current percentage of physicians per person, while one in Nong Bua Lam Phu would need to address 4,700.
” This is an issue that provincial residents already have. Given the long length to the hospital, patients in rural areas would have to leave their homes at 4 am just so a doctor may see them for 10 hours.
” I do n’t think the government truly comprehends the crisis that people are going through.
She stated that these issues need to be addressed and ca n’t be resolved simply by taking out a loan to lend to people.
Ms. Pukkamon even cited a crucial Pheu Thai election campaign commitment. She recalled the government’s commitment to move out elections for statewide governors, decentralize local government, and use tax dollars to increase public prosperity.