Cabinet Approves Stricter Controls on State Officials Secretly Charging Private EV Batteries at Government Facilities

The cabinet has acknowledged the National Anti-Corruption Commission's proposal to tighten supervision of state officials who illegally charge their personal electric vehicles using government electricity and to impose penalties as prescribed by law. On May 26, 2025, Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploythale Luksameelangchan announced after the cabinet meeting that the cabinet approved a report on findings and actions to gather input from government agencies regarding recommendations aimed at preventing corruption and conflicts between private and public interests. The case concerns state officials who charge their private electric vehicles using government, state enterprise, or state agency electricity without authorization, as proposed by the Office of the Civil Service Commission and reported to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Government agencies, state enterprises, and state organizations must comply with guidelines established by the Royal Property Department for installing EV charging equipment and charging stations for government and local administrative organization vehicles. They must also strictly adhere to relevant regulations and practices, including state official ethics, internal welfare provisions, and proper use of government property for official purposes. Agency heads must supervise their staff to comply with these guidelines, particularly those set by the Royal Property Department, for the benefit of the administration. The deputy government spokesperson stated that the Cabinet agreed to enforce the guidelines already established by the Royal Property Department since March 7, 2024. Violations will result in penalties under the law. Previously, the National Anti-Corruption Commission proposed making illegal free EV charging at government agencies a criminal offense for theft of government electricity, carrying both imprisonment and fines.