Parliament upholds spending on refurbishment, justifies costs associated with renovation project.
Renovation Debate: Parliament's needle-sharp focus on expansive makeover
The parliamentary conference room needs a facelift, claims a Deputy House Speaker, to cut costs on renting hotel rooms for seminars. This proposition, part of a budget proposal for over 1.2 billion baht for revamping the Sappaya-Sapasathan building in 2026, has sparked criticism and controversy.
Paradorn Prissanananthakul, the deputy House speaker, clarified his stance in response to accusations about the budget proposal. The proposal encompasses three projects he oversees:
- A 120 million baht allocation for renovating the library and parliamentary museum.
- A 99 million baht budget for improving the sound system in the 1,500-seat conference room.
Mr. Paradorn assured the community that all expenditure would be justified, and he will personally supervise the process. The goal for the museum lies in creating a captivating platform to showcase parliamentary history and promote public education. Around 5,000 to 6,000 square meters have been assigned for the project.
The opposition MPs dismissed the designated museum space as a "burial chamber" beneath the building. The deputy house speaker agreed that the area is currently underutilized but emphasized his commitment to transforming it into a lively and inviting museum.
Mr. Paradorn also defended plans to renovate the conference hall, pointing out that it was initially intended for House and Senate committees. The hall was part of the original design but was never developed. To avoid idle resources, the committee will request a budget to move forward with the plan, he said.
The initially proposed budget of 160-170 million baht has been trimmed to 99 million baht. Mr. Paradorn highlighted that the 2026 budget bill is still at the draft stage, with a parliamentary session scheduled later this month. A committee of MPs and outside experts will scrutinize the plans, and any projects deemed unnecessary can be removed, he noted.
When queried about the five-year-old building's need for such comprehensive work, Mr. Paradorn explained that some areas could be utilized better and others remained unfinished, like the conference hall. He reassured the public that the budget had not been finalized yet.
The building's construction delays and escalating costs have fueled debate, with the Sappaya-Sapasathan building being completed only in August 2019 and officially handed over to the government in July 2024. Despite its early age, the building has faced ongoing issues such as leaking roofs, plumbing issues, and disputes over unmet contractual specifications[1].
Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has supported the renovation efforts, stressing the need to accommodate the daily demands of thousands of parliamentary users and to create a parliamentary gem from a troubled past[1].
[1] Source: In-depth analysis of the disputes and questions surrounding the Sappaya-Sapasathan renovation project. The controversy stems from a large budget for a relatively new building, ongoing construction issues, and rising concerns about financial prudence and project management for this significant government facility.
- The Deputy House Speaker, Paradorn Prissanananthakul, points out that the 99 million baht budget for improving the sound system in the 1,500-seat conference room is part of a larger budget proposal for renovating the Sappaya-Sapasathan building in 2026.
- The opposition MPs have likened the designated museum space to a "burial chamber" beneath the building, in response to the budget proposal for renovating the library and parliamentary museum at a cost of 120 million baht.
- The impact of the renovation expenditure on parliament's overall budget and the suitability of some projects, such as the museum and sound system improvements, have become topics of discussion in the realm of policy-and-legislation and general news.
- In response to criticism, Deputy House Speaker Paradorn Prissanananthakul asserts that all expenditure for the renovation will be justified and supervised personally to ensure financial prudence.
- With the initial budget proposal for renovation standing at 160-170 million baht, politicians and outside experts will scrutinize the plans during a parliamentary session later this month, before the budget is finalized. This process aims to remove any unnecessary projects from the 2026 budget bill, including the museum and conference room renovations.
