Next govt will release city budget

Council chairman Thawatchai Piyanonthaya said payment of budget appropriations had ceased after the Constitution was approved at the referendum.

The council must amend regulations for budget deliberation procedures to accord with the new charter.

He said the council had not raised the money issue, but he would seek talks with the next government.

"The money is essential for the people. If it is scrapped, the people will be greatly affected and district and local administrators will have more work to do because, when there are problems, they will have to consider them and provide assistance," he said.

He said that without the funding, the capital's councillors would be responsible for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration regulations only.

Council members will still visit constituents and hear their problems but will have no money to provide "prompt and direct help", Thawatchai said.

Klong Toei councillor Koranis Ngamsukonrattana said the money was necessary for pressing issues and projects such as antidrug youth camps.

If the funding ended, Koranis said money would have to be found elsewhere to cover urgent programmes. In her district, the central funding covered districtfunding shortfalls for urgent road repairs.

District administrators were more aware of local people and their problems and were best equipped to allocate spending, she added.

Nong Chok councillor Paitoon Isaraseripong said many of his residents were without tap water, a problem he had solved with central funding in the past.

If the district had to wait for the administration to make repairs, there would be a long wait.

Chawalit Sriwongpanawet, head of the Sapmanothai Community in Klong Toei district, said his community had benefited in the past from council money. He was not confident the district itself could afford to pay for all the needs of the community.

Bangkok Deputy Governor Panit Wikitset said the council must amend its regulations to agree with the Constitution. Then the administration could proceed with work that needed to be done.

Councillors could seek funding for projects through their district offices or administration departments. For example, road works were the responsibility of district offices and schools were looked after by the administration's education office.

On August 16, the council approved for 2008 special spending of Bt1.14 billion from savings made on city projects. Each of the 57 councillors received Bt20 million each - Bt3 million of which they can use for local and international fieldstudy trips.

This is the last time the councillors will receive direct funding following changes in the new Constitution.

by Mayuree Sukyingcharoenwong

The Nation