Guidelines for Developing Mechanisms of Public Budget Planning and Monitoring: Findings from the Practices of the Senate Monitoring Budget Administration Committee

Abstract

This article examines the context of public budget planning and monitoring under the Senate’s authorities as provided by the Constitution of Thailand, through the practice of the Committee on Monitoring Budget Administration of the Senate. The aims are to: (1) explain the framework of public budget operations; (2) examine the problems and obstacles emerging from budget-related projects tracked by the Senate Committee from implementing units; and (3) synthesize recommendations for developing budget administration mechanisms, considered essential public resources to make the system more effective, transparent, and aligned with community needs. The study finds that although Thailand’s budget system has multi-level oversight mechanisms, several significant issues persist. These include misalignment between budget formulation and national strategies or local/community priorities; public construction projects not utilized as intended; problems within procurement and e-bidding systems leading to contract abandonment; and monitoring and evaluation practices that lack qualitative linkage. Structural constraints are also evident, such as fragmented data integration and insufficient community participation. Based on these findings, the article proposes the following pathways for improving public budget planning and monitoring: (1) enhancing the budget formulation process by incorporating value-for-money assessments at the planning stage; (2) establishing mechanisms for genuine public participation beginning with budget review and planning; and (3) developing monitoring systems that cover all dimensions of the budget cycle. In summary, these approaches strengthen policy-level budget management mechanisms to become more systematic, transparent, and responsive to public interests. In turn, these processes will enhance governance in the policy process, build public trust, and improve government budget management in terms of value and effectiveness.