Governor in soup over emergency budget
The decision to transfer Adisak Noisuwan pending the results of an official investigation was announced by Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai yesterday.
Mr Adisak came under scrutiny after a House committee on administration on Wednesday revealed that the provincial administration had only distributed 55,600 baht out of the 100-million-baht emergency budget allocated for Ubon Ratchathani.
"In the committee room, I had to ask whether this was a mistake," said Bhumjaithai MP Korrawee Prissananantakul, who chairs the House committee on provincial administration. "How can people survive on just 55,000 baht in such a crisis?"
Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samrejvanich said the amount was "abnormally low", especially considering its neighbouring provinces -- Surin, Si Sa Ket and Buri Ram -- have already disbursed 55.1 million baht, 46.8 million baht, and 14.1 million baht, respectively.
"The numbers are deeply concerning," she said. "We cannot accept this lack of urgency in a time of crisis."
The Interior Ministry confirmed that the low spending could not be explained by regulation constraints, as clear guidelines had been issued to all governors in a July 29 meeting with the Comptroller General's Department and related agencies, she said. "There's no excuse for inaction when people are displaced and in need."
At the meeting, Mr Adisak said the initial relief efforts were covered by local administrative organisations' budgets, noting the administration spent six million baht to cover food, shelter and survival kits for evacuees through this mechanism.
He also noted that public and royal donations helped cover relief efforts. He noted 120,000 meals, valued at 1.2 million baht, were prepared through a royal mobile kitchen, while supplies worth 1.6 million baht from the Thai Red Cross have been distributed.
In addition to the 55,600 baht disbursed on Tuesday, he said 4.7 million baht will be disbursed on Aug 12 for property damage and livestock losses.
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