Senator Nantana criticized the government policy as if it were created in a lavender field, while the people are suffering in a dry, barren land. She demanded constitutional reform. Meanwhile, Senator Phisit proposed reducing the number of MPs to only 400 constituency seats and the number of Senators to 150, which would save 450 million baht annually.
On 9 April 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Nantana Nantawaropas, a member of the Senate, spoke during a debate on the government policy, stating that the government's 23-point policy seemed detached from reality, likening it to being made in a lavender field while the people endure hardship in a drought-stricken area. She pointed out that major problems, such as the severe air pollution in Chiang Mai Province persisting for two weeks, were not addressed in the policy. The government showed no intention to pass the Clean Air Act into law. She suggested that the government valued corporate profits more than the lives of its citizens. Furthermore, constitutional reform was absent from the government policy, despite 21 million people voting in a referendum in favor of drafting a new constitution. The government cannot ignore this; the constitution is a significant issue. More than 60% of the population clearly expressed their will to amend the constitution, and this must be respected. She also noted the absence of a rule of law commitment in the policy and expressed concern that political corruption cases involving senators, such as the Khao Kradong case, might disappear from Thai political history.
Senator Phisit Apiwatnapong argued that regarding the constitutional amendment referendum, he proposed reducing the number of MPs and Senators. He suggested that there should not be 500 MPs and that party-list MPs were unnecessary, recommending only 400 constituency MPs. For Senators, the number should be reduced from 200 to 150. The salaries of MPs, Senators, and their assistants average 250,000 baht per person per month, totaling about 3 million baht per year. Therefore, by reducing 150 MPs and Senators, the government could save 450 million baht annually on salaries for MPs and their assistants, which he said would be a better way to cut expenses than other budget areas.