Parliament is scheduled to hold a special session next month to discuss the 3.78-trillion-baht budget for the 2026 fiscal year as the government of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra draws up plans to minimise the hit from US tariffs.
The House of Representatives will meet from May 28-30 to consider the draft budget bill for the year starting Oct 1, according to House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha. Earlier, Parliament was not scheduled to reconvene until July.
While the proposed budget outlay for 2025-26 is 0.8% higher than the 3.75 trillion baht in the current fiscal year, the deficit is projected to narrow to 860 billion baht from 870 billion.
The parliamentary debate comes amid calls by some opposition lawmakers to rework the budget plan to provide for steps to cushion the blow from a 36% reciprocal tariff threatened by the United States.
The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday slashed its forecast for Thailand’s economic growth this year to 1.8% from 2.9%, citing the impact of an escalating global trade war.
The government has said the higher-than-expected levy on imports of Thai goods to the US — Thailand’s largest export market — could shave off at least one percentage point from growth this year if it is not negotiated down.
Parliament is also expected to consider two draft laws seeking to suppress and prevent cybercrimes and call-centre scams.
The government may propose other legislative items if there is ample time, Mr Wan Noor said when asked if a controversial bill to legalise casinos may be taken up during the special session.