Democrat Party spokesman Pol. Capt. Pongsakorn Kwanmuang has criticised the government for neglecting frontline security personnel, following complaints that Border Patrol Police Region 1 officers deployed along the Thai-Cambodian border have not received their flat-rate daily allowance for months.
The affected officers, who are entitled to a daily stipend of 240 baht, amounting to roughly 7,200 baht per month, have been left unpaid since March.
According to the party spokesman, unit commanders told the personnel that the delay was due to the government failing to release the necessary budget allocation.
Pongsakorn said the famous saying "In war we fight, in peace we are forgotten" accurately reflects the plight of these officers, while emphasising that the payment delay is far more than a minor administrative hiccup, as frontline personnel are currently forced to pay out of pocket for their daily meals while on duty.
He noted that the monthly allowance serves as a vital financial lifeline for the officers' families, helping to cover household expenses, children's tuition and general living costs. Going without these funds for five consecutive months has placed severe financial strain on frontline households.
The spokesman urged the government, the Royal Thai Police and the Budget Bureau to clarify urgently whether the delay stems from an unapproved budget, bureaucratic paperwork or broader fiscal mismanagement.
He called on authorities to provide a deliverable timeline for when the overdue payments will be disbursed.
Respect for serving personnel must go beyond photo opportunities and crisis management, Pongsakorn added, stressing that ensuring basic welfare payments on time is a fundamental obligation.
He cautioned the government against treating the concept of sacrifice as an excuse to ignore proper compensation, warning against a pattern of abandoning front-line troops once immediate security pressures ease.
