BANGKOK, Thailand – The Election Commission (EC) is accelerating its review of political party campaign policies that involve government spending. Secretary-General Sawaeng Boonmee, who chairs the committee overseeing this process, led a recent virtual meeting to evaluate submissions ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election.
Of the 60 parties fielding candidates, 51 have proposed policies that include public expenditure and must undergo formal scrutiny. The committee began by reviewing policies from five parties, with some required to submit clarifications and additional documentation. These include the People’s Party and the Thai Citizen Party.
The People’s Party must provide more details on proposals related to elderly allowances, housing management, agricultural debt relief, nationwide infrastructure projects, SME development, and start-up funding. The Thai Citizen Party has been asked to clarify its state welfare platform, including a 5,000-baht monthly allowance for the elderly and support for people with disabilities and bedridden individuals.
The review process is expected to conclude by February 3 or 4, after which the committee will submit its findings to the EC for consideration. (NNT)
