A committee overseeing parliamentary officials and affairs has decided to dissolve six provincial parliamentary offices set up in 2012 under a pilot scheme.
Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, president of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and chairman of the committee, said the scrapping of the offices is based on an assessment that found them not cost-effective.
"Resources spent on the pilot scheme are not worth the outcome," said Mr Pornpetch.
He allayed concerns the closure of the offices would put an end to parliament's plan to reach out to people in the provinces.
The scheme can be revived if there is a mechanism in place to ensure the offices are up to the job, he said.
The six offices — Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, Surat Thani, Ayutthaya and Chon Buri — were part of a plan initiated in 2012 by former parliament president Somsak Kiatsuranont to promote democracy, publicise the work of parliament, accept complaints and offer legal advice to the public.
The offices spent a total of 50.37 million baht between July, 2013 and August, 2014 to fund their operations.
The officials assigned to work at the six offices will be recalled to parliament, said Mr Pornpetch.
NLA vice-president Pirasak Porchit said he found the expenses of some provincial offices too high. However, it is the job of the Secretariat of the House of Representatives to investigate alleged irregularities.
Mr Pirasak said the NLA will launch an inquiry only if a formal complaint is lodged with the assembly president.
Charae Panpruang, secretary-general of the House, yesterday played down criticism about the alleged overspending, saying the amount was not unusual.
The spending and fund disbursements by the provincial parliamentary offices would be examined by the Office of the Auditor-General and the Secretariat office.
Commenting on the committee's view that the offices were not cost-effective, he said inappropriate use of resources had resulted in duplication and inefficiency.
In another development, Mr Pornpetch said the committee had approved a reshuffle of 10 senior parliamentary officials.
According to a parliamentary source, the reshuffle involves four posts of deputy secretary-general and four advisory posts, both at the Secretariat of the House of Representatives.
The other two involve advisory posts at the Secretariat of the Senate.