“Chanchai-Pachun” push forward, submitting evidence naming wrongdoers to the 2570 Budget Committee, requesting investigation into the Airports of Thailand (AOT) Board’s resolution to reduce concession payments to a private company by 18 billion baht annually for 10 years, causing a 180 billion baht loss to the state.
At 13:30 on 20 Aug 2026 at the Parliament, Mr. Chanchai Isarasena, former MP of Nakhon Nayok, together with Admiral Pachun Tamprateep, former senator, submitted evidence and supporting documents to Ms. Sirikalaya Tansakul, party-list MP and deputy leader of the Prachachon Party, and Ms. Watanya Bunnag as members of the 2570 annual budget committee. The case concerns the Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) Board’s resolution to amend concession contracts for duty-free shops and commercial spaces inside airports, causing the state to lose 180 billion baht in revenue.
Mr. Chanchai stated that he had previously filed a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) against the Prime Minister, Cabinet, the AOT Board, and related officials for amending the duty-free concession contracts on 3 Apr 2026. Subsequently, the Cabinet Secretary-General brought the issue to a Cabinet meeting on 2 Dec 2025, where the Cabinet acknowledged the NACC’s recommendations and assigned the Ministry of Finance to consult with the Ministry of Transport and the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). They concluded that the AOT’s amendments to the duty-free and commercial concession contracts benefiting King Power Company reduced AOT’s annual concession revenue by 18.021 billion baht, totaling 180 billion baht over 10 years. The Cabinet recognized this problem. On 3 Dec 2025, AOT notified the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) that its Board had approved the concession contract amendments on 2 Dec 2025 without regard to the Cabinet’s acknowledgment.
Notably, Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapunt, responsible for legal affairs, personally attended the AOT Board meeting, despite the Cabinet having acknowledged the financial loss of 180 billion baht caused by these contract amendments. The question is whether Mr. Pakorn, who attended both the Cabinet meeting acknowledging the issue and the AOT Board meeting, raised any objections or protests at all.
“I must clarify and outline the timeline to show the AOT Board’s resolutions, the notification to the SET, and the Cabinet’s acknowledgment of the problem. It is clear who and which organization caused the state’s 180 billion baht loss in concession revenue. Once society knows all the evidence, they can judge for themselves—even the NACC commissioners. I emphasize this matter is clear, based on documents, individuals, and facts,” said Mr. Chanchai.
Therefore, there should be no more delays or excuses for additional redundant investigations, because the four main issues previously complained to the NACC, which accepted the case but has yet to take action, are:
1. Reporting inaccurate information without explaining the reasons and necessity for amending the concession contract that impacted state revenue by 180 billion baht. AOT insiders deliberately withheld this matter from the Cabinet, indicating the AOT Board’s intent to reduce concession payments before the formal resolution.
2. The AOT Board’s concession amendments favoring a single private company were not reviewed by the Attorney General and were presented to the SET to inform shareholders.
3. The AOT Board did not follow procedures requiring submission of contract amendments to the Cabinet for approval, as stipulated in the NACC’s Surveillance Office recommendation number 3, which mandates that any contract modifications affecting state assets or finances must receive Cabinet approval first.
4. The AOT Board’s concession amendments reducing payments to the private company, causing a 180 billion baht loss to the state, violate the Financial Discipline Act and the Budget Procedures Act B.E. 2561 (2018), confirming this was an abuse of power exceeding legal authority, resulting in the state’s maximum loss of 180 billion baht,” Mr. Chanchai added.
Mr. Chanchai further explained that he submitted this matter to representatives of the 2570 annual budget special committee because it concerns the national budget losing 180 billion baht from a state enterprise under the Ministry of Transport that holds a majority stake and operates monopolies: Suvarnabhumi Airport and five other airports managed by AOT. The 2570 Budget Committee, empowered by the Constitution, can investigate individuals within state agencies to determine why they dared amend contracts causing such losses and how the Cabinet, as the executive branch, could acknowledge and approve this without resolving the issue.
Therefore, he deemed it necessary to present this issue to the legislature, especially the 2570 annual budget special committee, to bring this problem into the committee’s plenary session for reporting to the Parliament. He declared that if no resolution occurs within two months, he will mobilize civil society. Today, he informed the public about who abused their power beyond the law by approving contract amendments that cut state revenue and caused losses of 180 billion baht. This is intolerable. Civil society will defend national interests and reclaim the 180 billion baht for the country to support the majority poor, rather than benefiting a single private group unfairly to society and Thailand.