The large gap between the requested and the allotted budget is addressed by
a unique budgetary process in Thailand. A former Minister in the Office of the Prime
Minister, interviewed by the author, mentioned that budget requests submitted to the
Bureau of the Budget by departments are not arranged according to priority. Because
budget requests are submitted by officers without the authority to prioritize the tasks of
the agency, almost all project proposals submitted by the departments are categorized
as far exceeding the available budget.5 For example, when the total requested budget
equals 220, but the allocated budget is only 108, 112 will be eliminated by the Bureau
of the Budget. The allocated budget, amounting to 108, implies that the total budget
increased by 8% over the previous year. However, the major portion of the 108 is
earmarked for salaries, current expenditures, and continuous projects, indicating
that the Bureau of the Budget will determine these budgetary allocations for the
foreseeable future.