Abhisit boasts of using the “Song Rat” platform to monitor the government's budget use, specifically earmarked for the Kathin ceremony, targeting certain ministers for intense scrutiny. He instructs party members to conduct strong oversight and stresses that the government must reduce energy costs. Note: The phrase "budget for the Kathin ceremony" is a cultural reference to a traditional Buddhist fundraising event; here it metaphorically suggests earmarked or reserved funds.
On 13 Jul 2026 GMT+7 in Songkhla province, Abhisit Vejjajiva, party-list MP and leader of the Democrat Party, spoke about preparing for the upcoming no-confidence debate against the government following a seminar of Democrat MPs in Hat Yai district. The party plans to use the “Song Rat” platform to scrutinize government budget spending as part of normal preparation. Discussions with opposition coalition partners will focus on corruption issues currently under criticism, particularly new problems involving government projects with new technologies. This includes added innovation accounts through which the government integrates innovations into several projects funded by a 400 billion baht loan for energy transition. These projects appear to involve specific procurement, especially solar cell projects, causing the government to buy at inflated prices. The “Song Rat” platform aims to reveal that the same companies repeatedly involved limit price competition, harming the state and public interests and leading to corruption.
When asked whether the Department of Local Administration’s nationwide order to provincial governors to cancel the energy transition project under the 400 billion baht loan decree was linked to the party’s discovery of added innovation accounts, Abhisit said he was initially unaware of the department’s reason for cancellation. However, the government has been previously criticized for citing urgent necessity without clear plans on budget use or how the loan money will be used for energy transition, only asserting urgency. Regarding whether the party has targeted specific ministers for the no-confidence debate, he said some ministers might already be under review, but final decisions require discussion with the opposition party.
Abhisit added that the party is planning its work for the second regular parliamentary session of 2026, emphasizing the need to maintain strong efforts like the previous session. Despite having only 21 MPs, the Democrat Party commits to fully performing its role with a focus on transparency in all government policies. The party also proposes solutions, such as reducing energy costs by lowering excise taxes, which would help the government avoid additional borrowing used currently for cash handouts within four months. Furthermore, the party’s alternative to the government’s one trillion baht land bridge project is the Southern Connect plan, which aims to create diverse infrastructure opportunities covering the entire southern region.