The leader of the Democrat Party urged the government to urgently resolve the issues of oil and electricity prices, highlighting that the root cause of the economic decline is energy prices. He recommended that Anutin personally chair the investigation into local exam corruption, calling for a financial probe that reaches the top figures and eradicates the problem completely.
23 Jul 2026 GMT+7 Apisit Vejjajiva, party-list MP and leader of the Democrat Party, said at the parliament about energy issues which are a key cause of the current economic crisis, that although the government had announced a serious commitment to energy restructuring, the reality shows oil prices continue to rise steadily. The government has reverted to the old method of having the oil fund bear the burden.
Meanwhile, the Democrat Party's proposals to review excise taxes and involve the private sector benefiting from oil price volatility in sharing the burden have gone unheard. Currently, the proportion allocated from refining margins as discounts to the public is very small compared to the true oil price structure, so the party calls on the government to reconsider. Because all the economic problems currently stem from the root cause of energy costs, Apisit continued, addressing measures to reduce electricity costs for low-usage consumers, saying that although the approach is correct, it was originally expected that funding would come from those benefiting from energy price fluctuations. However, it has become a mere budget shift “from one pocket to another,” initially burdening state enterprises. He urged the Minister of Energy, who had pledged seriousness in tackling energy structural issues, to act swiftly with lasting, sustainable solutions that genuinely reduce burdens for all people. This is a policy issue the Democrat Party will closely monitor.
Additionally, Apisit spoke about
the corruption in local government staff exams, saying that to date, this issue continues to cause much social confusion—from the criteria for candidates’ exam scores, whether granted or revoked, to the multiple investigative committees formed that hold differing views, resulting in overlapping efforts and lack of clear direction. The Democrat Party calls on those in power, stating the only person who can definitively resolve this is the Prime Minister, who also holds the position of Minister of Interior. “It is time for the Prime Minister to boldly chair the issue personally to bring clarity and ensure true legality and correctness. He should not wait or allow the various committees or officials at different ranks to offer separate opinions that only create ongoing confusion for candidates and society. Furthermore, the Prime Minister is in a position to engage other investigative mechanisms to intensify the inquiry, such as tracing the financial routes of those involved, to reach the root cause and impose thorough penalties on the offenders.”