MFP pledges to decentralise power

MFP pledges to decentralise power

The opposition Move Forward Party (MFP) has pledged to decentralise state power by implementing a "provincial prime minister" system and diverting more funds to provinces for development projects if it wins the election next year.

The party announced the plan on Saturday, insisting that not a single local leader will lose his or her job if the policy is implemented.

"If the party gets the opportunity to lead a new government, it will allocate an additional 200 billion baht per year to the provinces within its four-year term," said MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

"This means each provincial administration organisation will receive about 250 million baht per year, while districts will receive about 100 million and tambons receive 50 million per year on average," he said.

If the MFP wins the election, it will remove National Council for Peace and Order regulations that interfere in local administrative affairs, he said.

"A public referendum will be organised the following year to gauge public opinions regarding the party's provincial prime minister plan, which will be accompanied by a plan to dissolve regional administrative organisations controlled by the central government," he said.

However, no one will lose his or her job during the revamp, he said.

"Decentralisation will lead to more economic power as budgets will be spent more efficiently by the people who know community problems," he said. "As for concerns over whether decentralisation will lead to the decentralisation of corruption, we're going to [implement] public participation in anti-corruption monitoring."

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, chairman of the Progressive Movement, said the movement has been fielding candidates in support of the MFP's decentralisation plan.

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