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Cabinet Acts on Livelihood Costs, Fuel Subsidies with 4 Measures

Cabinet Acts on Livelihood Costs, Fuel Subsidies with 4 Measures

Thansettakij•Economy•2d ago

Reader Briefing

The Thai Cabinet has approved four comprehensive measures to alleviate the cost of living and subsidize fuel prices amidst global crises.

  • •The Thai government has launched four major measures to address the rising cost of living and high fuel prices.
  • •These measures include direct financial aid for vulnerable groups, soft loans for energy transition, support for the transportation sector, and assistance for SMEs.
  • •The initiatives aim to mitigate the short-term impacts of global crises while preparing citizens and businesses for long-term adaptation.

Overview

  • •The government announced 4 major measures to alleviate cost of living burdens and high fuel prices due to the global crisis.
  • •13.4 million welfare cardholders will receive an increased subsidy from 300 to 400 Baht for one month, from April 13, 2026 to May 12, 2026.
  • •GSB is offering a 5,000 million Baht soft loan for energy adaptation, including solar cell installation and EV purchases, with loan applications accepted until March 31, 2027.
  • •GHB is providing special interest loans for energy-saving homes, with applications for the 'Home is Cool' loan accepted until April 30, 2026 and 'Home Number 5' until December 30, 2026.
  • •BAAC is offering a 'Half-Price Interest' loan of 30,000 million Baht for farmers to reduce production costs, with government subsidizing 3% interest annually.
  • •The government will subsidize fuel costs for 460,000 transport vehicles for 42 days, from April 20 to May 31, 2026, totaling 2,060 million Baht.
  • •Transport operators can register for fuel subsidies from April 16 to April 19, 2026, with payments via PromptPay.
  • •The Prime Minister urged government agencies to reduce non-essential spending, such as foreign study tours and training, as part of cost-saving measures.

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Key Quotes

Nai Aekniti
"The crisis of the conflict in the Middle East is a global crisis leading to an energy crisis and potentially a crisis in goods and prices. The government therefore has measures to slow the impact and care for vulnerable groups to prevent the crisis from spreading to other sectors."
วิกฤตสงครามสู้รบในตะวันออกกลางเป็นวิกฤตของทั้งโลกนำไปสู่เรื่องวิกฤตพลังงาน และอาจจะนำไปสู่วิกฤตในเรื่องของสินค้าและราคาสินค้า รัฐบาลจึงมีมาตรการชะลอผลกระทบและดูแลกลุ่มเปราะบาง เพื่อป้องกันวิกฤตไปสู่ภาคอื่น ๆ

Key Entities

Organization

Cabinet(ครม.)ℹ️
The Thai government body responsible for approving major policies and measures.
Government Savings Bank (GSB)(ธนาคารออมสิน)ℹ️
A state-owned bank involved in providing soft loans for energy adaptation and business recovery.
Government Housing Bank (GHB)(ธนาคารอาคารสงเคราะห์)ℹ️
A state-owned bank offering special interest rate loans for energy-saving homes and renovations.
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT)(การไฟฟ้าฝ่ายผลิตแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️
The state-owned enterprise responsible for electricity generation, which certifies energy-efficient homes (Home Number 5).
Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC)(ธนาคารเพื่อการเกษตรและสหกรณ์การเกษตร)ℹ️
A state-owned bank providing financial support to farmers, including the 'Half-Price Interest' loan program.
Comptroller General's Department(กรมบัญชีกลาง)ℹ️
A government department responsible for public finance and procurement, which has relaxed procurement rules.
Budget Bureau(สำนักงบประมาณ)ℹ️
The government agency responsible for budget allocation and management, which is expediting fund transfers for construction contracts.
Ministry of Finance(กระทรวงการคลัง)ℹ️
The government ministry responsible for fiscal policy and financial institutions, which is collaborating on SME loan programs.
Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME D Bank)(ธนาคารพัฒนาวิสาหกิจขนาดกลางและขนาดย่อมแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️
A specialized financial institution dedicated to supporting the growth and development of SMEs, offering green productivity loans.
Export-Import Bank of Thailand (EXIM Bank)(ธนาคารเพื่อการส่งออกและนำเข้าแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️
A state-owned bank providing financial services to exporters, including the EXIM Support Plus program and export insurance.
Ministry of Commerce(กระทรวงพาณิชย์)ℹ️
The government ministry responsible for trade and economic affairs, actively monitoring and preventing increases in inflation.

Person

Nai Aekniti(นายเอกนิติ)
A government official (likely from the Ministry of Finance) who commented on the government's measures.
Prime Minister(นายกฯ)ℹ️
The head of the Thai government, who emphasized cost-saving measures within public agencies.

Policy

State Welfare Card(บัตรสวัสดิการแห่งรัฐ)
A government welfare program providing financial assistance for purchasing goods and services.
GSB Thai Business Revival(GSB พลิกฟื้นธุรกิจไทย)
A low-interest loan program by GSB to help businesses fund transformation and adaptation.
SME Green Productivity
A loan program by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand (SME D Bank) to support SMEs in transitioning to green industries.
EXIM Support Plus
A financial support program by EXIM Bank to provide working capital to Thai exporters affected by increased shipping costs.
Work from homeℹ️
A flexible work arrangement allowing employees to perform their duties remotely, encouraged by the Prime Minister to reduce government expenses.

Technology

Solar Cellℹ️
Photovoltaic technology used for generating electricity from sunlight, supported by government loans.
Electric Vehicle(EV)ℹ️
Vehicles powered by electricity, promoted through government loans for purchase.
Solar Roofℹ️
A system of solar panels installed on a roof to generate electricity, eligible for additional loans from GHB for welfare clients.

Certification Standard

Home Number 5(บ้านเบอร์ 5)
A certification standard for energy-efficient housing, recognized by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, eligible for special loans from GHB.

Service

PromptPay(พร้อมเพย์)ℹ️
A Thailand-wide real-time electronic payment system used for direct disbursement of government subsidies.