Budget Debate Highlights Controversial Radar Purchase by Department of Royal Rainmaking

On September 8, 2026, during the second day of the House of Representatives' second and third reading of the 2027 fiscal budget bill, MP Chayapol Satthondee of the People's Party raised concerns regarding a specific procurement project. The Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation has requested a budget of 960 million baht to acquire two new weather radar stations.

MP Chayapol argued that the department already operates five existing radar stations. He suggested that the department could avoid this significant expenditure by sharing meteorological data with the Thai Meteorological Department instead of investing in new infrastructure. The discussion took place as part of the review of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' budget, which totals 53.05 billion baht within the broader 3.78 trillion baht national budget.

For residents and travelers, this debate highlights ongoing scrutiny over government spending and the efficiency of public resource management in Thailand. While the proposal is currently under legislative review, it remains to be confirmed whether the budget committee will approve the funding for these new stations or if the department will be required to adopt the data-sharing model proposed by the MP. No final decision on the procurement has been enacted at this stage.