Bangkok Post
Court upholds B400-billion borrowing decree
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The Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that the government’s 400-billion-baht emergency loan decree was lawful, lifting uncertainty over state spending plans.
Key facts
- The Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that the government’s 400-billion-baht emergency loan decree was lawful, lifting uncertainty over state spending plans.
- Thailand’s economy, the second largest in Southeast Asia, expanded by only 2.4% last year, lagging regional peers, with 2026 economic growth forecast raised to 2.3%.
- The funds were intended to be equally divided between the Thais Help Thais Plus consumer subsidy scheme that started last month, and for financing a green energy transition.
- The government has insisted the borrowing decree is essential for the energy transition, citing Thailand’s heavy reliance on imported energy — equivalent to nearly 10% of gross domestic product — as a key vulnerability.
Summary
The funds were intended to be equally divided between the Thais Help Thais Plus consumer subsidy scheme that started last month, and for financing a green energy transition.
Opposition lawmakers, who brought the case to the charter court, argued that although they backed the clean energy policy, they disagreed with use of an emergency decree.