Somchat, a Democrat Party MP, has proposed a draft Oil Palm Act aimed at systematically resolving issues to help palm oil farmers and the palm oil industry comprehensively from production to marketing, providing farmers with participatory roles.
On 29 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Somchat Praditphon, Member of Parliament for Surat Thani from the Democrat Party, spoke about progress in submitting the draft Oil Palm and Oil Palm Products Act. He said he has presented the draft to the party's legal committee to prepare for proposing it to the House of Representatives.
This law aims chiefly to effectively and sustainably resolve problems faced by oil palm farmers by allowing them to participate in policymaking, management, and development of the palm oil industry. Since oil palm is an important economic crop for the country’s food and energy security, developing farmers’ livelihoods and the entire palm oil industry must be done comprehensively to elevate industry standards and competitiveness under both domestic and international free trade systems.
Somchat added that the draft proposes establishing a National Oil Palm Policy Committee responsible for formulating policies and management plans for agriculture and the palm oil industry, as well as monitoring and effectively implementing these plans. It also integrates education, research and development, and provides systematic support to farmers and the industry. Additionally, it proposes an oil palm fund to support agricultural and industrial development, promote farmer group formation for mutual aid in production and marketing, and provide assistance when necessary.
At the same time, the draft includes measures to regulate palm fruit purchasing activities as needed to protect farmers from unfair trade practices, promote product quality improvement, and enhance the competitiveness of Thailand's palm oil industry.
“I believe solving palm oil problems requires a systemic approach, not just addressing price issues at specific times. Farmers must participate in setting the industry's direction, and mechanisms must oversee the entire value chain—from production through processing to marketing—to ensure long-term stability and sustainability for palm farmers. If this draft law is enacted, it will be a crucial tool to strengthen palm oil farmers and elevate Thailand's palm oil industry management to be transparent, fair, and sustainably competitive,” Somchat said.