Ms Paetongtarn chaired the second meeting of the year on Thailand’s tourism situation yesterday (May 30), reports the Bangkok Post.
The meeting focused on five key areas for integrated development, including public relations, tourists’ safety, facilitating easier travel, tourism infrastructure and organising events to boost tourism in the short- and long-term.
Ms Paetongtarn stressed the importance of seamless collaboration among all parties to ensure the success of these initiatives.
Meanwhile, on the third day of the House of Representatives’ debate on the 2026 fiscal budget, People’s Party MP Pukkamon Nunarnan criticised the government’s allocation of B26.5bn for provincial budgets, saying these funds disproportionately benefit major cities, widening the development gap between urban and rural areas.
Citing a World Bank report, she stated that approximately 70% of government spending occurs in Bangkok, leading to over 50% of Thai provinces developing below their potential.
According to the MP, projects often focus on infrastructure like roads, bridges and lighting, instead of “building” good citizens via education and improving people’s quality of life.
“You must allocate budget according to development needs, not for those in power to share the profits.”