Analysis of Thailand’s Budget for Capital Expenditures in Water Sector under the National Strategy: A Case Study of Fiscal Year 2023

Abstract

In preparing the FY 2023 budget, the government gives priority to carry out missions to mobilize the country’s development according to the National Strategy. For FY 2023, the government set a budget of 3,185,000 million baht or 17.09 percent of the GDP. Water is one of the main issues in the National Strategy, the Master Plans under the National Strategy, the National Economic and Social Development Plan, Sustainable Development Goals, and the Master Plan on Water Resource Management. The analysis result shows that water budget is approximately 110,751 million baht or 25.5% of total capital expenditures. The targets are (1) to increase the country’s water security (2) to improve the productivity of water use and (3) to preserve and rehabilitate natural water source. National water budget consists of water budget inside and outside Integrated Program on Management of Water Resources approximately 54,100 and 65,200 million baht respectively or 48.8 % and 51.2 % of total water budget. The policy recommendation is development of monitoring and evaluation system of water budget use to meet the sustainable socio-economic development in Thailand National Strategy.