Bangkok: Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party and Member of Parliament, issued a statement expressing concern over the government's plan to implement an emergency decree allowing the Ministry of Finance to borrow 400 billion baht. He warned that this could destabilize the economy, suggesting that the funds might be used for short-term political gains within four months, potentially worsening the ongoing crisis.

According to Thai News Agency, Abhisit criticized the government's approach, arguing that there are more effective ways to support the public without resorting to borrowing. He highlighted Thailand's current economic growth rate of 1.5% and noted that previous borrowing attempts occurred under different circumstances. The Democrat Party disagrees with the decree, citing concerns over economic stability and the potential for increased inflation and public debt.

Abhisit proposed alternative solutions, such as reducing or exempting excise taxes to lower diesel prices and suggested a windfall tax on oil companies benefiting from the crisis. He emphasized the need to address the root causes of high energy costs and called for investment in domestic energy solutions, like biodiesel production, to reduce reliance on foreign technologies.

He also critiqued the government's plans to spend 200 billion baht on short-term projects, warning that this could lead to further economic instability. Abhisit urged the government to consider more sustainable measures, such as reallocating funds to the welfare card program, to alleviate the public's suffering without increasing national debt.

Korn Chatikavanij, deputy leader of the Democrat Party, supported Abhisit's stance, pointing to the excessive profits of major oil companies as evidence of the government's failure to manage energy costs. He criticized the government's reliance on the emergency decree, urging them to adopt fairer fuel pricing methods and reduce excise taxes to lower energy costs for citizens and businesses.