A group of 30 senators has voiced strong opposition to a proposed 956-million-baht budget for the renovation of the new parliament complex, arguing that the spending plan is excessive, poorly prioritised and not in the public interest.
Leading the charge is Senator Nantana Nantavaropas, who held a press conference on Thursday criticising the renovation plan.
She highlighted the building's significant structural issues despite being in use for just four years, including leaking walls, collapsed ceilings, mould-covered columns and faulty air-conditioning systems.
These problems, she noted, remain unresolved despite the project still being under warranty, raising concerns about contractor accountability, especially given the building's original 22-billion-baht construction cost.
Sen Nantana also pointed to the confusing layout of the building and the lack of adequate signage, quipping that visitors must "rely on intuition to navigate the maze".
She revealed that none of the proposed budget will be allocated to fixing current defects. Instead, it will fund 10 unrelated projects, which she described as "unnecessary".
Among the proposed renovations are the refurbishment of the unused Parliamentary Museum, installation of a 4D cinema and upgrade of the lighting in seminar rooms. Another contentious item is the plan to install AC units in the Sala Kaeo (Crystal Pavilion), which Sen Nanthana warned would significantly increase electricity costs.
Additionally, she said that five more projects are being pushed forward without formal approval. One such plan includes a new parking structure estimated at 4.6 billion baht -- with an average of 1 million baht per parking space, she said.
While the parliament building currently falls short of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's minimum parking requirements, she argued that the scale and cost of the new project are disproportionate.
"These projects seem aimed at enhancing the comfort of parliamentarians, rather than addressing public needs," she said. "We will use every possible channel to block this wasteful spending."
Meanwhile, Chatree Ladalalitsakul, the parliament building's chief architect, submitted a letter to parliament opposing the plan to fill in the building's "Emerald Pool", a key architectural feature designed to cool the structure naturally.
He warned that replacing the pool with a public library and shops would compromise the building's energy efficiency and ventilation system.
The building was designed to be energy-efficient, with ventilation openings allowing air to flow through from all directions, relying on natural cooling techniques.
"If the pond is filled in to build a library, the entire area would need to be air-conditioned. I can't even imagine the budget required for air-conditioning and sealing off all the openings in a 10-storey open space."