Hundreds of civil society protesters marched to Government House today, urging Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to withdraw or refuse to endorse proposed legislative amendments that would change the funding arrangements for four organisations covering public health, public service broadcasting, elderly welfare and sports development.
The People's Health Movement (PHM) and its partner networks marched from the United Nations headquarters on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road to Government House to oppose the proposed amendments, arguing that any reform of the four organisations must be transparent and subject to public scrutiny.
The four bills seek to amend the Thai Health Promotion Foundation Act, the Thai Public Broadcasting Service Act, the Elderly Fund Act and the Sports Authority of Thailand Fund Act.
The groups called on Anutin to urge Supachai Jaisamut, a Bhumjaithai Party-list MP who proposed the amendments, to withdraw the bills.
As the four bills concern financial matters, the prime minister's endorsement is required before they can proceed to Parliament. The protesters therefore urged Anutin not to endorse them.
The movement's secretary, Teerapat Kahawong, said the proposed amendments appeared to be part of an effort to redirect tax revenue currently earmarked for the four organisations.
“We do not oppose reform or efforts to make these organisations more efficient, but the government has cited fiscal discipline as the rationale, and we are puzzled as to why the four bills were proposed by a political party rather than the Cabinet,” he said.
Teerapat said the groups wanted the bills withdrawn or a mutually agreed framework established if the government intended to proceed. Alternatively, a working group could be set up to review and improve the legislation.
Asked how the movement would respond if the government refused to back down, Teerapat said the networks would discuss their next steps if the meeting failed to produce a resolution. These could include seeking a meeting with Anutin during the mobile Cabinet meeting scheduled to take place in Udon Thani province next week.
