Sirikanya Slams Government for 400 Billion Baht Emergency Decree, Accuses of Blank Check and Constitutional Violation

At 10:30 a.m. on May 7, 2025, during a House session chaired by Sophon Saramoon, opposition MP Sirikanya Tansukul questioned Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Interior Minister about a proposed emergency decree authorizing the Finance Ministry to borrow 400 billion baht to address energy crisis impacts and facilitate the country's energy transition. Anutin delegated Phruet Panisnanangkul, Prime Minister's Office Minister, to respond.

Sirikanya argued that the Cabinet's approval of the 400 billion baht borrowing was rushed through as a secret agenda, making it impossible to assess the decree's actual contents. She questioned the program's vagueness, noting only 11 articles exist in what appears to be just a few pages requesting public funds. She criticized the first 200 billion baht allocation targeting 30 million people through a half-and-half welfare distribution, using 1.2 trillion baht of existing budget and adding 528 billion baht to state welfare cards.

Sirikanya highlighted contradictions in the government's 5T framework, particularly the "Target" component. She noted the first-come-first-served registration system prevents identification of genuinely distressed individuals, making the relief appear random. She acknowledged understanding the government's financial constraints but argued that fiscal discipline should be tighter during economic hardship.

Sirikanya's main concern involved the government stuffing 200 billion baht for energy transition restructuring into an urgent emergency decree. She questioned why a non-urgent project required emergency status and what percentage of the energy transition goal could realistically be achieved within one year. She argued the government reduced its original 500 billion baht request to 400 billion baht while still attempting to combine unrelated energy projects with immediate relief measures.