Military says Isoc did not hide spending

The Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) has not concealed spending and nor does it duplicate the work of other agencies in the South, the Royal Thai Army (RTA) said on Sunday, while defending both its budget structure and role. RTA spokesman Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree said comments by Prachachart Party leader Tawee Sodsong about Isoc contained incomplete information that could mislead the public. He said most Isoc personnel were seconded from other government agencies and received allowances and special monthly payments rather than regular salaries. Under Budget Bureau regulations, such costs are recorded under the "other expenditure" category, along with allowances. The clarification followed Mr Tawee's criticism of Isoc's proposed 2027 budget of 5.73 billion baht, of which 5.31 billion baht is listed as other expenditure. Maj Gen Winthai said the classification reflected standard accounting practice rather than an attempt to conceal spending. He said about 75% of Isoc's budget was allocated to addressing unrest in the southern border provinces, with nearly 70% of that amount used to pay allowances and special compensation for about 49,000 personnel from the military, police, civil administration and other agencies. He also dismissed claims Isoc's role overlapped with that of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC). The southern border provinces require a dedicated security mechanism under Isoc's regional command because of their complex security challenges, he said. While the Fourth Region Forward Command oversees security operations involving military, police and civilian personnel, the SBPAC is responsible for development work. Although their responsibilities differ, the two agencies work together to address problems in the region, he said. Subscribe to our newsletters for daily updates, breaking news and exclusive content.