“Pradorn” pays respects to sacred spirits at the Government House, praying for the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s smooth work. He plans to discuss the “Khon La Khrueng Plus” budget with “Ekniti” today, confirming the first phase will be implemented quickly.
At 07:59 on 8 April 2026 GMT+7, at the Government House, Mr. Pradorn Prisananantakul, Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, visited to pay respects at the spirit shrines dedicated to the Government House for auspiciousness.
Mr. Pradorn stated that after starting his second term in office, he came to pay respects to the shrines and sacred spirits. He prayed broadly, asking that the Prime Minister and Cabinet work smoothly, given that Thailand and the world currently face a war situation. Therefore, many matters require greater intensity and strength, and he hopes the Cabinet’s work proceeds smoothly to fully care for the people.
When asked which ministries the Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office supervises, Mr. Pradorn said that on 7 April, the Prime Minister assigned him to oversee the Budget Bureau and the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC). The Budget Bureau is an agency he has previously supervised and will continue to manage.
Regarding the usual first Cabinet meeting on 11 April and what the Budget Bureau will present, Mr. Pradorn said they are preparing a plan to submit the 2027 budget calendar first, to set the direction and main goals of the budget. This aims to ensure the 2027 budget is not delayed and begins use on 1 October 2026.
Mr. Pradorn added that the Prime Minister emphasized that under current circumstances, government agencies must prepare budgets aligned with the situation. Unnecessary or postponable projects should be delayed. The 2027 budget should clearly aim to address immediate problems for the people, simply put, to help citizens first.
On the progress of drafting the 2027 budget, Mr. Pradorn said the process will start on 11 April. Once the budget calendar is submitted to the Cabinet, they will set the framework for government agencies to submit requests, with a rough deadline in May. Requests must reach the Budget Bureau for screening as usual. However, Cabinet approval is expected about 15 days later, which might delay progress by 15-20 days. Still, he stressed the final process must finish by 1 October to allow usage.
Regarding preparations for implementing the “Khon La Khrueng Plus” project, Mr. Pradorn said he received directives from Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas. They plan to meet today to discuss the budget source to implement policies to help the people. Besides this project, there is also the “Thai Help Thai” project, which is considered a major initiative.
When asked if the central budget and other funds are sufficient, Mr. Pradorn said he is about to discuss the budget transfer act with Mr. Ekniti to determine when it can proceed. The earliest expected date is around June.
When pressed on whether budget transfers will suffice or if borrowing is needed, Mr. Pradorn said he believes the funds are still adequate. The Prime Minister has clearly instructed government agencies to delay non-urgent or non-essential expenditures, focusing budget support first on helping the people. Details on budget amounts, implementation, and beneficiary numbers are still being designed by the Ministry of Finance, which must coordinate with ministries such as Finance, Commerce, and Energy. Whether the 20 million rights recipients will remain the same is still under project structure design. He confirmed the first phase will be implemented as quickly as possible.
Regarding the opposition People’s Party preparing to debate the government’s policy under the theme “Too Rich to Handle,” Mr. Pradorn said he believes the current government faces more problems than many past governments, especially due to the recent COVID-19 situation. Although circumstances differ, the severity is certainly comparable.