thailandedition
Abhisit opposes 400 billion energy loan decree

Abhisit opposes 400 billion energy loan decree

Thairath•Politics•30m ago

Reader Briefing

Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, declared his opposition to a 400 billion baht loan decree during a House of Representatives meeting.

  • •Abhisit Vejjajiva opposed the 400 billion baht loan decree on August 26, 2026.
  • •The decree aims to address energy crisis impacts and transition the country's energy sector.
  • •Abhisit Vejjajiva cited four main reasons for opposing the decree, including legal issues and economic risks.
  • •The opposition is based on concerns regarding public debt ceilings and potential corruption.

Overview

  • •On August 26, 2026, Abhisit Vejjajiva debated the loan decree during a House of Representatives meeting.
  • •Abhisit Vejjajiva stated a firm position to reject and not approve the Emergency Decree empowering the Ministry of Finance to borrow 400 billion baht.
  • •Abhisit Vejjajiva argued the decree lacks urgent necessity, citing expert witnesses' opinions provided to the Constitutional Court.
  • •Abhisit Vejjajiva claimed the government is not addressing the root cause of oil prices and that the funds would vanish within 4 months.
  • •Abhisit Vejjajiva warned that the borrowing would push the public debt-to-GDP ratio to a ceiling of 70 percent.
  • •Abhisit Vejjajiva stated that allowing budget reallocation for energy skill training projects risks corruption and political favoritism.
  • •Abhisit Vejjajiva criticized the lack of a clear plan for the 200 billion baht energy transition budget and questioned if power transmission investments favor data centers over citizens.
  • •Abhisit Vejjajiva asserted that the decree would not significantly impact economic growth.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Read on Thairath (Thai Version)Read on Thairath (English Version)

Source: Thairath (Original)

Key Quotes

Abhisit Vejjajiva
"I conclude that if this Decree is passed by Parliament and enforced, we will not see a significant change in economic growth; people will continue to face energy problems, so I cannot vote to approve this Decree."
ผมฟันธงว่า พ.ร.ก. ฉบับนี้ ถ้าผ่านรัฐสภาไปบังคับใช้ เราจะไม่ได้เห็นความเปลี่ยนแปลงอย่างมีนัยสำคัญเกี่ยวกับการเติบโตของเศรษฐกิจ ประชาชนยังต้องเผชิญกับปัญหาพลังงานต่อไป จึงไม่สามารถยกมืออนุมัติ พ.ร.ก.ฉบับนี้ได้

Key Entities

Person

Abhisit Vejjajiva(อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ)ℹ️
A list MP and leader of the Democrat Party who opposed the 400 billion baht loan decree.

Organization

Democrat Party(พรรคประชาธิปัตย์)
The political party led by Abhisit Vejjajiva.
House of Representatives(สภาผู้แทนราษฎร)ℹ️
The legislative body where the loan decree was considered on August 26, 2026.
Ministry of Finance(กระทรวงการคลัง)ℹ️
The ministry empowered to borrow funds under the proposed decree.
Constitutional Court(ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ)ℹ️
The court to which expert witnesses provided opinions regarding the necessity of the decree.

Law

Emergency Decree Empowering the Ministry of Finance to Borrow Funds to Resolve Impacts from the Energy Crisis and Create the Country's Energy Transition 2026(พระราชกำหนด (พ.ร.ก.) ให้อำนาจกระทรวงการคลังกู้เงินเพื่อแก้ไขปัญหาผลกระทบจากสถานการณ์วิกฤตด้านพลังงานและสร้างการเปลี่ยนผ่านด้านพลังงานของประเทศ พ.ศ. 2569)
A decree proposing a 400 billion baht loan to address energy issues and transition the energy sector.