Budget Bureau orders withdrawal of water management project over constitutional concerns

The Budget Bureau has ordered the withdrawal of the 2025 water management project for tackling drought and irregular rainfall, worth 51.58 billion baht, citing potential violations of Section 144 of the Thai Constitution.

In an urgent directive issued on Tuesday, the bureau instructed the presidents of Provincial Administrative Organisations (PAOs) to withdraw the project.The move follows the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC)’s decision on June 4 to launch an inquiry into allegations of irregularities in the project’s budget allocation. The project had already approved 28,990 sub-projects, raising concerns over its compliance with Section 144, which regulates national budget spending.

The case implicates Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong, who oversees the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR), the agency that proposed the project to the Cabinet.Prasert has also been accused of allocating 50 million baht each to Pheu Thai MPs under the drought relief scheme, which, if proven true, could constitute a breach of constitutional provisions.

Some Pheu Thai constituency MPs were specifically named in the allegations, including Saroj Hongchuwet and Phitsanu Hatthasongkraw, both former MPs of the party. The Budget Bureau director, Anan Kaewkamnerd, was also mentioned in connection with the case.

Despite mounting scrutiny and media attention, Prasert held a press conference on June 10 to assert his innocence. He stated that the project followed proper procedures and insisted that no Pheu Thai MPs were involved in the budget allocations as alleged.

(2025/06/17-00:00)