Democrats Reject Bhumjaithai Plan to Change Health Fund, PBS Funding
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva announced his party opposes Bhumjaithai Party-backed draft laws that would alter funding for the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Thai PBS, insisting both must stay independent with direct sin-tax revenue. At a parliamentary meeting with civil society networks, Abhisit said the Democrats will push to withdraw the four draft royal decrees, warning they risk pooling earmarked health funds under fiscal rules. The party supports structural reform through tripartite committees but rejects shifting the two funds to annual government budgets.
Abhisit Vejjajiva declared the Democrat Party opposes the Bhumjaithai Party's draft legislation, insisting the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Thai PBS must remain independent with direct funding from sin taxes, and vowed to work with civil society to uphold this principle.
On October 21, 2026, at Parliament, party-list MP and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, along with party-list MPs and deputy leaders Karnti Liewpairin and Radklao Inthawong Suwankiri, received letters from networks representing formal and informal workers, platform riders, early childhood welfare advocates, and fair social welfare advocates. They urged the Democrats to oppose and pressure the government and Bhumjaithai to withdraw four draft royal decrees concerning four organizations that receive direct budgets from sin taxes — specifically alcohol and beverage companies and tobacco companies. They warned the four drafts could lead to pooling of funds by invoking fiscal discipline.
The petitions made four demands: 1) oppose the draft amendments and push the government to withdraw all four bills from consideration; 2) demand structural reform mechanisms with a tripartite committee representing all sectors; 3) prioritize impacts on workers and families; and 4) urge the Democrats to urgently consider health, safety, and security impacts and submit dissenting opinions on the draft laws.
Abhisit stated the Democrats have been clear from the start on mechanisms to ring-fence sin tax revenue for specific purposes. When the Thai Health Promotion Foundation was originally designed, they agreed with the proposers after public health research showed health promotion and disease prevention are crucial to Thai well-being, and that civil society is best positioned to carry out this work. Therefore, the fund must be independent with guaranteed revenue stability.
"So in the case of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, we can say unequivocally that the Democrat Party disagrees with the law proposed by the Bhumjaithai Party," Abhisit said.
Regarding Thai PBS, Abhisit said an independent media outlet must not rely on the regular budget system, which would give the government leverage. Independence for both the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Thai PBS has opened opportunities for many people to participate, but under the normal bureaucratic system there is little chance to raise important social policy issues or problems of marginalized and disadvantaged groups.
"Therefore, regarding these two funds, the Democrats confirm we disagree with changing the system to make them receive annual budgets like other government agencies or existing funds. As for the other two funds, we are still studying and discussing the necessity of using this system," Abhisit said.
Abhisit added he is not claiming the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and Thai PBS operate flawlessly or without problems — especially the controversial issues traded back and forth recently — but insists these problems can be fixed without touching the revenue system that creates independence and stability for health promotion work.
