Parliament must control and defend spending
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Proposals for a non-elected body to control the spending of an elected government should be rejected outright. It would rob the government of the means to carry out the people's will, as expressed through our chosen representatives.
However, MPs must think of the country’s long-term interests in deliberating massive spending bills on, for instance, investments in infrastructure or education.
I propose that bills for spending above a certain amount be accompanied by studies looking at the proposal from the viewpoint of the nation as a whole over the coming decade or two. Such studies would cover economic feasibility, including sources and uses of funds, financial rates of return, environmental impact and the impact on citizens.
If necessary these could be handled by third parties, such as the Thailand Development Research Institute or universities. All studies would be posted on the Internet several months before the bill is introduced in Parliament to allow time for public hearings.
Such extended scrutiny by the public and political parties of all shades would help ensure that bills are fairly well thought-out and defensible even before they reach the floor, and thus beneficial to the country as a whole.
Burin Kantabutra
