"Mai" highlights the urgent need to establish a special parliamentary committee to oversee the 400 billion baht loan decree, hoping the government will cooperate and not dismiss the motion. She recalls that the Bhumjaithai Party once proposed a special committee for the one trillion baht COVID-19 loan.
On 1 Jun 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Sirikanya Tansakul, party-list MP and deputy leader of the Prachachon Party (PCN), spoke about her plan to urgently push a motion requesting the parliament to form a special committee to monitor the spending under the 400 billion baht loan decree. On 31 May, Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, party-list MP and leader of the Democrat Party (DP), also prepared to push the same issue. She said she sees their efforts as aligned, noting that the motion was submitted on 14 May. However, Mr. Sophon Saram, the Speaker of the House, assigned Ms. Mallika Jiraphanvanich, the first deputy speaker, to rule that it was not an urgent motion, which she considered a significant error based on the facts. Therefore, coordination with the government's whip is needed to expedite the motion’s consideration, as Mr. Sophon advised, since it should be treated as urgent. The motion is scheduled for consideration on 4 Jun, but no definite agreement with the government's whip has been made regarding the exact timing, as that day normally involves consultations and question sessions, leaving limited time.
Ms. Sirikanya added that the urgent issue is the government's ongoing approval of projects by the screening committee, where the Ministry of Finance both proposes and approves or manages the projects without any checks and balances. This situation necessitates establishing the special committee as soon as possible to provide additional oversight. However, it is already too late for the current funds, which have reached the public through the Thai Chuey Thai Plus program and top-ups to the state welfare cards. She emphasized a desire to prevent such issues in the future.
Hopes the government will cooperate and not dismiss the motion.
When asked whether she expects government cooperation, given past instances where opposition motions to form special committees—such as on the land bridge project—were not supported by the government, Ms. Sirikanya said she remains hopeful. She recalled that during the one trillion baht COVID-19 loan and the 500 billion baht COVID-19 loan, MPs from the Bhumjaithai Party, then a coalition partner, proposed similar urgent motions and served on the special committees, including Mr. Pradorn Pisananantakul, Minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, and Mr. Siripong Angkasukrit, Deputy Minister of Transport. Therefore, there is no reason that now, with Bhumjaithai as the leading government party, such a special committee would not be established.
When asked if discussions with the government side would be necessary for understanding outside formal sessions, Ms. Sirikanya said that would be the responsibility of the opposition whip.