Thai public rejects proposed budget shifts for Thai PBS and health funds

Public opinion results from a recent consultation period show significant opposition to four proposed draft bills aimed at changing the funding sources for several Thai organizations. The proposed amendments, introduced by Anutin Charnvirakul and Supachai Jaisamut, seek to shift funding for entities such as Thai PBS, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), and the Elderly Fund from direct allocations of liquor and tobacco taxes (sin taxes) to the standard annual budget system.

For the Thai PBS amendment, out of 131,834 participants, 68.58% expressed disagreement with the proposal, while only 31.04% were in favor. The ThaiHealth amendment faced even stronger opposition, with 89.43% of the 85,895 respondents voting against the change. The consultation period, which ran from September 30 to October 14, 2026, concluded with these results, prompting reactions from officials including the Deputy Director of Thai PBS.