At 4:00 PM on May 28, the Thai House of Representatives held a special session chaired by Deputy House Speaker Pharadorn Prisananantakul to deliberate the draft of the FY2026 Budget Bill, totaling 3.78 trillion baht. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra presented the bill, projecting the Thai economy to grow by 2.3–3.3% in 2025 and 2026, driven by public investment, domestic consumption, and tourism recovery. However, risks such as high household and business debt, U.S. trade barriers, geopolitical tensions, and climate change persist.
As of March 2025, public debt stands at 12.08 trillion baht or 64.4% of GDP—still within the 70% legal ceiling. Cash reserves as of April 30, 2025, are 252.1 billion baht. Paetongtarn said the government will adopt a deficit budget policy to support growth and economic stability.
The 3.78 trillion baht budget is allocated as follows: 2.65 trillion baht for regular expenses, 123.5 billion for treasury repayment, 864.1 billion for investments, and 151.2 billion for loan repayments.
The budget is divided into six strategic areas:
- Security – 415.3 billion baht for southern border issues, international relations, drug suppression, and domestic peacekeeping.
- Competitiveness – 394.6 billion baht for economic zones, digital development, soft power, and tourism revenue.
- Human Resources – 605.9 billion baht for sports, health, and digital education reform.
- Social Equity – 942.7 billion baht for welfare, elder support, land management, and local education.
- Environmental Sustainability – 147.2 billion baht for pollution control and water resource management.
- Government Reform – 605.4 billion baht for anti-corruption, digital governance, and legal review.
An additional 669.4 billion baht is allocated for emergencies, debt management, and treasury replenishment. Paetongtarn concluded that the deficit strategy is aimed at fostering sustainable growth and ensuring efficient public spending to tangibly benefit citizens.