The Ministry of Finance admits that the program "Old Car for New Car 2026" cannot proceed at this time due to major difficulties in establishing a standardized valuation criterion for old cars. Additionally, Thailand still lacks a comprehensive system for managing and recycling car wrecks. There are concerns that relying on officials' discretion to appraise vehicles could open opportunities for corruption. The Ministry has ordered the Excise Department to urgently review the details clearly or propose more appropriate measures after reports showed the program has caused many people to delay buying new cars.
On 11 May 2026, Mr. Lawaron Saengsanit, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, said that the Excise Department is currently working on the details but faces several issues, especially regarding the criteria for valuing old cars and the system for disposing and dismantling car wrecks. He also allowed the Excise Department to adjust the program to a better or more suitable measure than the original "Old Car for New Car" scheme.
"Each car's condition varies greatly, including usage age, maintenance, and market value, making it difficult to set a fair standard price for all parties. There is a concern that if a car is expensive but appraised too low, it causes one problem; if a cheap car is appraised too high, it causes another. Since no two cars are alike, the valuation criteria remain a key unresolved issue."
Furthermore, managing car wrecks is another critical condition for the program. Currently, Thailand lacks an effective, comprehensive recycling and dismantling system for vehicles, including separating scrap metal, batteries, or materials that can be reused. This means the government must consider the readiness of the supporting system alongside the program.
Therefore, the Excise Department is now rushing to study all the program details. It is possible that the department will return with a proposal to the Ministry of Finance offering a better alternative to the original old-for-new car program.
The Ministry of Finance has instructed the Excise Department to urgently clarify the program's operational plan, as they do not want an unclear project or one that relies on officials' discretion, to avoidleakagefrom discretionary decisions by officials.
However, following reports about the program, many people have delayed buying new cars. Therefore, the Ministry urged the Excise Department to speed up consideration of this matter, believing that the clearer and sooner the program is announced, the better. It is understood that the Excise Department is currently intensively studying the program's development.Excise Departmentis in the process of accelerating the study for the program's implementation.
Most recently, on 12 May 2026, Mr. Akniti Nititanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, said that the program might be stuck on details, making it impossible to proceed for now. However, there is still time, and he has assigned the Excise Department to continue examining the matter.