Paris: The Prime Minister attended a ministerial ceremony of honor in France, assigned Ekniti to present the 2027 budget, and instructed the Cabinet to explain every issue.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has been granted royal permission to accompany His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen as an honorary minister during their official visit to the Republic of France from June 28 to July 2, 2026. This visit, at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron, marks the 170th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of France, as well as the 340th anniversary of the first contact between the two countries.
The Prime Minister has tasked Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, with presenting the draft of the Annual Budget Act for Fiscal Year 2027 in its first reading. The Cabinet has been instructed to seize this opportunity to address any questions from members of the House of Representatives and to elucidate the necessity and objectives of the budget allocation according to the missions of each government agency.
The first reading of the draft Budget Act is scheduled to take place from June 29 to July 1, 2026, spanning three days. This budget bill has been prepared under fiscal constraints and an uncertain global economic situation, aiming to cater to both short-term public welfare needs and long-term investments to boost the country's competitiveness. The total expenditure budget amounts to 3.78 trillion baht, focusing on national security and resilience, investment in new industries, and improving the quality of life for citizens.
For the weekly cabinet meeting on June 30, the Prime Minister has delegated the responsibility of chairing the meeting at the Parliament building to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, to facilitate responses to questions from Parliament.