Prasit Concerned Over 400 Billion Baht Emergency Decree for Relief, Fears Blank Checks and Lack of Oversight
Prasit, a Pheu Thai opposition MP, expressed concern over a 400 billion baht emergency decree for relief, warning that its "scattered" approach and first-come-first-served registration may fail to reach the hardest-hit citizens in transport
At 9:45 a.m. on May 5, 2025, at Parliament, Prasit Wattrasindhu, a Pheu Thai party MP and opposition coalition coordinator, spoke to the media about the opposition's monitoring of today's cabinet meeting. He called on the public to watch closely as the cabinet was expected to confirm which pending bills from the previous parliament would proceed, noting several important bills for public welfare such as the Clean Air Act, the Pollution Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) bill to address PM 2.5 and industrial pollution, the Trade Competition Act to tackle monopolies, and the Labor Protection Act to align worker rights with international standards.
Prasit noted that on May 4, the government coalition confirmed the Clean Air Act would be approved, which the opposition will scrutinize closely. If the cabinet fails to approve bills the opposition believes should pass, they will question relevant agencies and request the cabinet to reconsider, as another cabinet meeting is scheduled for May 12, still within the 60-day framework.
The opposition expressed significant concern over a 400 billion baht emergency decree entering cabinet consideration today. The funds are divided into two 200 billion baht portions: one for energy crisis relief and another for energy transition projects. Prasit stated that while the Democrats support crisis relief, they worry about the implementation details. Despite Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Finance Minister repeatedly claiming targeted relief measures, projects like Thailand Helps Thailand Plus appear to use a "scattered" approach rather than targeting the most affected populations.
Prasit expressed concern that first-come-first-served registration may fail to reach the hardest-hit citizens, with some sectors like transport and fishing potentially left behind. He noted the opposition shadow cabinet will meet with these sectors on May 6 to assess government measure effectiveness.
Further, Prasit questioned the Thailand Helps Thailand Plus program requiring 40% public contribution, arguing this may not align with the primary goal of relief and reducing living costs. He contended that such programs historically stimulate spending rather than address cost-of-living issues, making them potentially unsuitable for the current crisis. The second 200 billion baht portion for energy transition projects remained under discussion.
