Thailand Finance Ministry Seeks 400bn Baht Loan Decree

Thailand’s Finance Ministry is preparing to seek Cabinet approval for an emergency borrowing decree authorising up to 400 billion baht, aimed at cushioning the economy from global risks linked to conflict in the Middle East. The proposed loan would also support the “Thai Helps Thai Plus” stimulus programme, designed to ease cost-of-living pressures for more than 30 million people. The draft decree is scheduled to be submitted to Cabinet on May 5.

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The move follows a high-level economic meeting at Government House on April 30, chaired by Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Attendees included Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Bank of Thailand Governor Vitai Ratanakorn, and senior officials from key economic agencies. Discussions lasted more than three hours, though officials declined to disclose details afterwards.

Officials said the 400-billion-baht ceiling reflects expected funding needs, with only about 20 billion baht remaining in the central contingency budget. The borrowing authority would be used as necessary and would not mean the full amount is automatically drawn. The Finance Ministry has already coordinated with the Bank of Thailand, the National Economic and Social Development Council and the Budget Bureau before preparing the proposal.

The Thai Helps Thai Plus programme, expected to begin on June 1, will include several measures to boost purchasing power. Around 13.4 million state welfare cardholders will receive 1,000 baht per month for four months, totalling about 52 billion baht. The wider scheme, estimated at 120 billion baht excluding welfare payments, will operate on a 60:40 co-payment basis, with the government covering 60 percent of spending.

The programme is expected to benefit more than 30 million people, with registration opening in May and spending starting in June via the Pao Tang application. Benefits cannot be transferred or withdrawn as cash and must be used within the allocated month. Additional measures may be introduced by other ministries, including Labour, Education, and Agriculture, depending on final policy design.

The Nation reported that the borrowing plan follows earlier instructions from Anutin at the April 21 Cabinet meeting, where he highlighted global uncertainty and domestic challenges across energy, economic, social, environmental, and disaster-related areas. He tasked the finance minister with studying legal frameworks, borrowing limits, and procedures to ensure readiness for rapid action.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Nation 2 May 2026

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