Bangkok: Suphanat Meenchainan, a Bangkok MP from the Prachachon Party, proposed a significant reduction in the budget allocated for the new Ministry of Transport building. He advocated for cutting 5 billion baht from the budget, arguing that the building is excessively large for its intended capacity and results in a 2 billion baht wastage.

According to Thai News Agency, Suphanat engaged in a debate regarding the Ministry of Transport’s budget, which currently stands at 5.558 billion baht, or 3 percent of the planned expenditure for the new building project. Suphanat outlined three main reasons for his proposal to reduce the budget. Firstly, he pointed out that the costs are exorbitantly high when considering the combined expenses of construction, land value, supervision fees, and renovation costs, which amount to 5.81 billion baht, excluding interest.

Secondly, Suphanat challenged the claims regarding the building’s usage. Initially, it was stated that 22 agencies would relocate to the new building, benefiting 80,000 personnel. However, Suphanat revealed that only five agencies are confirmed to move, with the remaining 17 agencies requiring a separate building.

Lastly, he criticized the unnecessary size of the building. The total usable area needed by the agencies is 18,149 square meters, yet the office space requested is 67,000 square meters, which is 3.5 times the required amount. Suphanat cited a document from the Department of Rail Transport, stating that the average space per employee is 20.9 square meters, while the current construction plan allocates 63 square meters. Furthermore, an AI analysis suggested that a building of 22,000 square meters would suffice for 1,000 employees, questioning the necessity of a 100,000 square meter facility.

Suphanat questioned the committee’s attention to detail in budget considerations, suggesting a lack of practicality and common sense. He argued that if the project were appropriately planned, it could be completed for 1.2 billion baht, as opposed to the requested 3.8 billion baht, not including land value. He emphasized that such a reduction could save over 2 billion baht, criticizing the committee for proceeding with the project without considering these factors.