The Royal Thai Police will seek additional funding from the Central Fund to help offset allowance cuts for officers serving in the Deep South in the 2027 fiscal year.
Its spokesman, Pol Maj Gen Siriwat Deepor, said yesterday that the cuts resulted from government budget reductions affecting the police and several other state agencies.
He acknowledged that the allowance cuts had directly affected the morale of officers serving in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and four districts of Songkhla.
He added that national police chief Pol Gen Samran Nualma had instructed all department and division heads to allocate the limited budget in a way that minimised the impact on officers’ morale.
On Monday, the police Operations Centre issued a circular informing officers serving in the Deep South of the allowance cuts.
It explained that the police budget for the 2027 fiscal year had been reduced by 429 million baht, including 314 million baht earmarked for allowances.
Under the revised arrangement, officers serving in special operations units and investigative subdivisions will receive 5,000 baht a month, down from 6,700 baht.
Those working in directorate offices, suppression operations and traffic management, as well as officers conducting investigative work, will see their monthly allowances reduced to 4,300 baht from 5,680 baht.
Special operations units of the Border Patrol Police will receive 3,820 baht a month, down from 6,780 baht. Officers attached to directorate offices will receive 2,800 baht a month.
The allowance cuts have triggered widespread criticism and complaints among officers serving in the restive Deep South, where security risks are higher than in many other regions. The officers have called for the cuts to be reviewed.
Pol Lt Gen Piyawat Chalermsri, commissioner of the 9th Regional Police Bureau, who signed the order implementing the cuts, said the reductions were in line with the budget allocation and the need to manage funds efficiently.
However, he assured officers that the police recognised the importance of their work in the restive region and would not abandon them.
