Opposition Questions Southern Development Budget and Southern Insurgency

Nathaphong Rueangpanyawut, leader of the People's Party and leader of the opposition, has called on the government to clarify the benefits for local residents from a budget of over 50 billion baht allocated for development in the southern region, during the mobile cabinet meeting in Songkhla province. The opposition leader expressed concern that the large budget might benefit contractors or investors close to the government, questioning whether the funds would truly benefit the people of the South. He noted past instances where large sums were allocated without clear project plans and feared a situation of "raising money first, then finding work." Regarding the security situation in the southern border provinces, Nathaphong stated that the House of Representatives is scheduled to consider an urgent motion on September 4th. While agreeing with the Prime Minister's approach to proactive security measures, he pointed to the recent simultaneous incidents in dozens of locations, emphasizing the urgent need to improve intelligence gathering and analysis. He stressed that building trust with local residents is crucial for effective intelligence, as they are key sources of information. Furthermore, the party questioned the transparency and cost-effectiveness of the 1.6 billion baht TH-AI Passport project. While not opposing AI promotion, the People's Party believes the funds could be used more effectively for national development, such as reforming government processes and enhancing private sector collaboration. Citing Singapore as an example, he suggested that AI utilization should go beyond public awareness to upgrading the bureaucratic system. He also raised concerns that the TH-AI Passport might limit freedom of expression by potentially restricting responses on sensitive topics compared to generally available AI models. Source: INN News