A Senate committee has voiced concern over the 3.78-trillion-baht budget bill for the 2026 fiscal year, questioning the allocation of funds for loans related to education, the government complex and irregular income from treasury land.
Sen Alongkot Vorakee, deputy chairman of the committee studying the draft budget bill, elaborated on the concerns on Tuesday.
He mentioned a proposal to allocated 100 million baht to the Student Loan Fund to hire law firms to help collect education-related debts.
To ensure no conflicts of interest, he said, these firms must be screened to determine who the shareholders, board members or partners are. The Fund should also assess whether hiring them would be cost-effective.
Turning to the Treasury Department, it has been found that 1.2 million rai of land that it oversees has generated revenue. But it remains unclear whether this income derives from rental fees or other sources, and whether it all counts as state revenue.
Another concern is the 4.4-billion-baht budget allocated for the Chaeng Watthana Government Complex, with questions raised including how the funds are being managed by a public company that manages the complex.
Mr Alongkot said the Senate’s role is only to approve or reject the budget bill, and that if it has been passed by the lower house, the Senate’s approval would only help speed up the injection of funds into the economy.
The 2026 budget bill was supported by 322 lawmakers in its first reading in the 500-member House of Representatives on May 31, following a four-day debate.
The draft bill will be reviewed by both parliament and the Senate in August, ahead of the new fiscal year that starts on Oct 1.