Deputy PM Phakdee Has Not Received Thaksin Pardon Petition Yet

At 9:10 a.m. on October 27, 2026, at Government House, Deputy Prime Minister Phakdee Nilaphan, in his capacity as chair of the Committee on Building and Strengthening Social Harmony, gave an interview before the weekly Cabinet meeting regarding former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's petition for a royal pardon. Phakdee said he has not yet seen the petition. The Secretary-General of the Office of the Prime Minister will gather information from the meeting held on September 22, allowing relevant agencies — police, prosecutors, and courts — to detail the status of each case so the committee knows how many cases exist, their details, and what orders have been issued. Once information is compiled, a meeting will be scheduled.

Phakdee said a subcommittee has been appointed to screen petitions preliminarily, chaired by the Justice Ministry's permanent secretary, who will review matters before they reach the full committee, ensuring everything proceeds according to law. The next meeting depends on whether information is complete.

Asked whether the four draft bills related to sin taxes would be submitted to today's Cabinet meeting, Phakdee said they were not included because they are drafts proposed by Bhumjaithai Party list MP Supachai Jaisamut, not government drafts. Whether they will be sent to the Cabinet is unknown. However, if the drafts involve financial matters, they must be submitted for the prime minister's endorsement. Phakdee understands the legislative process requires public hearings first; once completed, Parliament would send them to the prime minister for consideration, and endorsement would be decided then.

When asked for his legal opinion amid public pressure and whether this could spark new conflict, Phakdee said it is better to treat it as a legal matter, not a matter of social pressure, and let things proceed according to principle.