Police Commission to Discuss Reduction of Southern Border Police Allowances on 12 Nov Officials Have Received New Rates - Thairath English
Ramadan revealed that the Police Commission has added the issue of cutting allowances for southern border police to the agenda for 12 November. He pointed out that officers have already received the new reduced rates, despite the Prime Minister previously insisting there were no cuts. He stressed that the morale of lower-ranking workers should not be undermined.
6 Nov 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Ramadan Panjor, party-list MP of the Prachachon Party, spoke about the progress of the investigation into the case of cutting allowances for police officers working in the southern border provinces. He said he recently received official confirmation from the Parliamentary Police Commission that the matter has been scheduled for discussion to seek a solution on Thursday next week (12 November).
Ramadan further stated that the stance of Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, who previously said there were no allowance cuts, reflects an administrative view that the issue is minor and lacks attention. However, official documents and circular orders have been distributed across all operational units and internal communication groups in the area. Moreover, statements from senior commanders remain confusing and contradictory to reality because, since yesterday (5 November), allowance payments have been gradually transferred to police personnel accounts at the new, reduced rates as documented in prior official orders. This is not a misunderstanding but a real hardship faced by lower-ranking personnel.
In the petition he submitted to the Police Commission, he originally proposed inviting the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to provide explanations, as ISOC is the main agency responsible for security tasks in the southern border area and receives a budget of up to 2.4 billion baht for personnel and operations. This budget is distributed among six security agencies in the area, including the police. Although the Police Commission may not yet have invited the Fourth Region ISOC to join discussions, he and party-list MP Lieutenant Colonel Theerawat Panyanathamkul of the Prachachon Party, who will attend the meeting next Thursday, intend to use the forum to clarify two main points:
1. Investigate the decision-making process by finding out at what stage the allowance budget cuts occurred, who made the decision, and who should be responsible for the impact on the welfare of lower-ranking officers.
2. Gather options and corrective measures by seeking ways to allocate compensatory budget to ensure that police officers working in the area continue to receive fair compensation and allowances corresponding to the risks involved.
Meanwhile, Ramadan emphasized that police work is already risky daily, but operations in the southern border provinces are significantly more complex and different from other areas. Officers face multiple risks, including threats to life from unrest and accusations of legal violations or human rights abuses resulting from the enforcement of special security laws. Additionally, police must engage with the public daily, and any damage to public trust increases operational risks further.
He concluded by saying that given these complex risks, commanders and the government should not shift burdens or undermine the morale of lower-ranking workers. He encouraged feedback from police personnel in the area, inviting them to send questions, facts, or suggestions directly to him so he can raise these issues and seek concrete solutions at the Police Commission meeting.
