The Defence Ministry has rejected claims by the opposition that the ministry abused a budget earmarked for peace-keeping operations in the violence-plagued South. Of the budget, 5.2 billion baht has been earmarked for local development programmes and the rest for security. The budget will also pay for the improvement of intelligence operations and conflict resolution projects to forge peace in the region. However, he admitted some of the money to promote projects aimed at bringing peace had been cut and adjusted as it was deemed the projects required fewer funds. Mr Rangsiman said the project was given 17 million baht more than it was designated in the previous fiscal year.

Source: Bangkok Post July 02, 2020 23:26 UTC