Supports reviewing the use of "sin tax" to fund four funds after the government quietly proposed amendments to four laws. Korn suggests considering all impacts and contexts, ensuring budget efficiency without waste. Most importantly, transparency and auditability must be guaranteed.,
4 Oct 2026 GMT+7 Korn Chatikavanij, a party-list Member of Parliament and Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party, commented on the Bhumjaithai Party's proposal to amend four laws: the Public Broadcasting Organization of Thailand Act (Thai PBS), the Thai Health Promotion Foundation Act (ThaiHealth), the Elderly Act, and the Sports Authority of Thailand Act, to change funding sources from alcohol and tobacco taxes ("sin tax"), to become part of the annual government budget.
Korn said that under the 2018 Fiscal Discipline Act, allocating tax revenues directly to various agencies as previously done is no longer allowed, except for laws enacted before the Fiscal Discipline Act came into force in 2018. However, he believes all matters should be questioned and reviewed to ensure tax money is used efficiently and effectively for all taxpayers. It is the government's duty to consider this, though he is uncertain how seriously they will take it.
“In the case of Thai PBS, we need to review the original purpose of establishing the station 10 years ago compared to now. At the beginning, there was a rationale to support it with tax money to ensure freedom from political interference, creating a free and independent media free from control by business or political interests. Thai PBS has performed reasonably well in this regard, but we need to review whether this is still cost-effective, given that the media landscape has changed. People rely less on main channels, so we must consider if the organization's value and the amount of tax allocated remain appropriate. Meanwhile, other channels have seen reduced funding. It is not guaranteed that any entity has the right to use tax money indefinitely. At the same time, this is a sensitive societal issue regarding the benefit of having independent media. Has Thai PBS used its independence to serve the original legislative purpose?”
Korn added that regarding fiscal discipline, the authority to allocate tax revenues should come from an elected government. If excise tax funds are separated and agencies do not have to be reviewed and approved annually by elected MPs, this may be reasonable in some cases but not in others. All these reasons justify periodic reviews. He views reviewing as positive but believes the broader impacts on any fund involved must be carefully considered.
When asked how the legal amendments to use sin tax funds reflect the government's fiscal condition, Korn said he focuses on the cost-effectiveness of government spending. From a fiscal discipline perspective, bringing off-budget funds into the official budget is positive, but once inside the system, the question remains whether the government uses tax money efficiently. The parliament recently approved the 2027 budget, and he observed government waste and questionable spending. Therefore, if transparency is desired, everyone using tax money must be accountable and open to scrutiny.