PM tells ThaiHealth to release funds for Pracha Rath projects

It was reported earlier that after the controversy over the misuse of funds by ThaiHealth, thousands of state-backed and other projects had to be frozen. This also led to close inspection of the foundation’s budget approval by the Monitoring and Auditing Committee on Fiscal Expenditure. 

Dr Poldet Pinprateeb, president of the Local Development Institute, said yesterday that he met with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday to discuss problems related to state-supported projects based on the Pracha Rath concept.

 The Local Development Institute is a key supporter of the government’s Pracha Rath projects, which are aimed at boosting the local economy, while ThaiHealth is responsible for creating integrative cooperation to strengthen local communities.

“Upon close inspection of ThaiHealth, the Monitoring and Auditing Committee on Fiscal Expenditure found that as many as 4,000 projects had been stuck at the funding-consideration stage. The PM has therefore asked that these projects be split three ways based on criteria so ThaiHealth can work on granting funds,” Poldet said. 

The first group would comprise projects that fit the funding objectives of ThaiHealth, which will be granted funds immediately. 

The second group, comprising Pracha Rath projects related to ThaiHealth’s objectives, will also be eligible for funds, while the final batch will be made of projects that do not fit within the first two groups' criteria and will have to be amended and resubmitted for approval, he explained. 

“I would like to applaud the PM for making swift decisions to tackle this problem and letting the Pracha Rath projects move forward again,” he said. Kamron Chudecha, a representative of the Thai Health Promotion Movement, said Prayut’s order should soon improve the situation concerning ThaiHealth’s project funding, provided it makes it easier for the expenditure-auditing committee to approve the funding. Difficulties in project funding has also put many public organisations in financial trouble and many are not able to operate normally. Hence, yesterday five youth public organisations staged a protest at Government House calling on the authorities to unlock the ThaiHealth fund. 

“We have come here today to petition the PM into getting the government to deal with this problem because many public organisations have been affected badly after ThaiHealth funding procedures were strictly regulated and the projects were no longer sponsored,” Theerapat Kahawong, the coordinator of the five youth public organisations, said. 

He revealed that last year more than 2,400 projects, most of them youth organisations, had sent proposals to ThaiHealth for sponsorship, but since they were never granted any funding, many had to cease their work, cut workforce or close down. 

Meanwhile, the National Anti-Corruption Commission revealed that ThaiHealth’s objectives would be narrowed down for the sake of clarity. It explained that the agency’s objectives were far too wide and gave ThaiHealth executives the chance to become part of other non-profit organisations and apply for funding with ThaiHealth. He said such projects have already cost the agency more than Bt100 million.