Defending the Budget for Parliament Renovation
Time for a Facelift: Parliament's Conference Room Needs a Makeover
It's about time to spruce up the parliamentary conference room, according to a deputy House speaker. The reason? Committees are currently shelling out money to rent hotel rooms for seminars, and this revamp could put a stop to that.
Paradorn Prissanananthakul is addressing the heat generated by the budget proposal for approximately 1.2 billion baht to renovate the Sappaya-Sapasathan building for fiscal 2026.
Three projects are under his wing. On the agenda are the renovation of the library and parliamentary museum, which require a total of 120 million baht, and the improvement of the sound system in the 1,500-seat conference room, costing 99 million baht.
"Every penny will be well-spent, and I will personally oversee the entire process," he promises.
The museum's purpose is to create a space where the parliament's history is displayed and public education is promoted. A whopping 5,000 to 6,000 square meters have already been reserved for this project. Critics who label the museum space a "burial chamber" underneath the building? Not a concern, says Mr. Paradorn. His plan is to transform this forgotten room into a lively and accessible museum. " frankly, I have no desire to see a mausoleum under the parliament either," he quips.
The conference hall is intended for use by House and Senate committees—originally part of the plans, but left untouched. Requesting a budget to proceed with the renovation seems like the logical step, especially since committees are currently coughing up cash to rent hotel venues for seminars.
The initial proposed budget of 160-170 million baht for this project has already been whittled down to a more palatable 99 million baht. The 2026 budget bill is still in draft form and is set to face a parliamentary session later this month.
From this point on, a committee composed of MPs and outside experts will scrutinize the plans, with any projects deemed unnecessary facing the chopping block.
Some might question why a five-year-old building needs a major overhaul, but it turns out that some areas can be better utilized, while others remain incomplete and require finishing, as intended in the original design. As for the validity of the building's construction warranty? Well, the requested budget isn't for repairs but rather for extensions.
Lastly, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has backed the renovation efforts, taking into account the heavy daily use of the building by thousands of people. The Sappaya-Sapasathan building, constructed by Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Plc, has faced criticism over the years for its high cost and flaws, such as leaking roofs, faulty water pipes, and materials not matching specifications.[2] The building, which was finished at a much higher cost than initially projected, has been operational since August 2019.[4]
[1] "Parliamentary building worth renovating to avoid costs, deputy speaker says" - Bangkok Post
[2] "Sappaya-Sapasathan building flaws add to parliament’s costly woes" - The Nation
[3] "1.2 billion bailout for parliament’s facelift" - Thai Enquirer
[4] "Thailand: Parliament building to house art museum, museum of parliamentary history" - ASEAN Today
- The proposed budget for renovating the Sappaya-Sapasathan building in 2026 includes expenditure for renovating the parliamentary conference room, aiming to stop committees from having to rent hotel rooms for seminars.
- In 2024, Paradorn Prissanananthakul intends to oversee a project that includes renovating the library and parliamentary museum, as well as improving the sound system in the conference room, all part of his budget proposals for the parliament's finance business.
- The renovation of the Sappaya-Sapasathan building is supported by the Deputy Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, who recognizes the need for a facelift and numerous improvements to the building, addressing concerns of inefficient use of space, incomplete areas, and quality issues seen since its completion in 2019.
