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Thailand 2027 fiscal budget debate

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2026-09-08 06:17 UTC → 2026-09-08 12:12 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Thai House of Representatives has commenced the second and third readings of the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Bill, totaling approximately 3.788 trillion baht. Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, acting as the budget committee chairman, confirmed that the committee reduced the total budget by 11.162 billion baht to address redundant agency functions and ensure fiscal stability. Significant reductions were noted within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Defense. Opposition members continue to challenge the allocation of investment funds. Surachet Praweenwongwut has alleged that these funds may favor specific contractors and lack a long-term vision. To manage rising public debt, discussions regarding a ‘Zero Growth Budget’ persist. Debate has also centered on specific departmental needs and the central budget, which has increased to approximately 699.9 billion baht for emergency and necessary expenses. While the People's Party, led by Sirikanya Tansakul, has demanded an additional 100 billion baht in cuts to address perceived inefficiencies in training and travel expenditures, Jaturon Chaisang of the Pheu Thai Party has argued that the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) remains underfunded despite its role in driving national AI and technology-driven economic goals. During the second reading, discussions regarding the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives lasted nearly four hours, with Bhumjaithai Party representatives requesting support for regional issues. Regarding the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, Democrat Party representative Kandee Liowpairoj criticized the committee for only reducing its 13,625 million baht budget by 0.19%. Kandee specifically warned that the ‘Cloud First’ policy could lead to massive recurring costs, noting that total expenditure including the Government Data Center and Cloud (GDCC) system has surged by over 50% due to a trend of renting services rather than building state assets.

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