Finance Ministry speeds up 4-trillion-baht budget disbursement

A source at the Ministry of Finance revealed that the ministry will propose to the Cabinet this week a set of measures to accelerate budget disbursement and public spending for the 2026 fiscal year, with total funds amounting to 4.1 trillion baht.

The proposal follows endorsement by the Economic Cabinet Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. It aims to ensure that all state agencies align their spending plans with the country’s overall economic goals.

Slowing economy prompts fiscal stimulus push

According to the Finance Ministry, the disbursement acceleration plan was prompted by signs of economic slowdown in 2025. Thailand’s GDP expanded by 2.8% in the second quarter, down from 3.2% in the previous quarter, due to global and domestic headwinds.

Key factors behind the slowdown include the impact of US tax policy, global economic volatility, and internal challenges such as high household debt, weak purchasing power, and tight liquidity. The ministry projects economic growth to moderate further to 1.7% in the third quarter and just 0.3% in the fourth quarter.

Budget breakdown

The government’s 2026 fiscal year budget totals 3.78 trillion baht, consisting of:

1. 2.92 trillion baht for regular expenditure, and
2. 861.7 billion baht for investment spending.

When combined with 320.9 billion baht in carry-over funds from the 2025 fiscal year, the total amount available for disbursement rises to 4.1 trillion baht.

Key disbursement targets

Under the proposed plan, the Finance Ministry has set the following objectives:

• Carry-over budget from FY2025:
• Agencies must complete the spending of funds already committed by Q2 FY2026.
• For funds still in the procurement process, commitments must be finalised by Q1 FY2026, with disbursement completed as quickly as possible.

FY2026 annual budget:

Overall disbursement target: at least 93% of the total budget

• Regular expenditure disbursement: at least 98%
• Investment budget disbursement: at least 75%
• Overall budget utilisation: 100% for all expenditure categories

Strict timelines set for regional disbursement and investment projects

The Finance Ministry has also outlined clear operational guidelines for budget recipients to ensure prompt disbursement and project execution.

For provincial-level agencies, budget-receiving departments must transfer allocated funds to their regional offices within five days of receiving budget approval.

For one-year investment projects involving equipment purchases, agencies are required to complete both commitment and disbursement within the first quarter (Q1) of the 2026 fiscal year.

For service contracts, commitments must begin in Q1 and be fully completed by the second quarter (Q2).

Meanwhile, for multi-year investment projects (new commitments), all contracting obligations must be completed by Q2.

The Procurement and Supplies Administration Committee has granted temporary exemptions from certain requirements under the 2017 Regulation on Government Procurement and Supplies Administration to expedite processes.

However, all agencies must still comply with the 2019 Regulation on Disbursement, Receipt, Custody, and Remittance of State Funds, completing payment procedures within five working days.

In addition, heads of all budget-receiving agencies must submit monthly progress reports on investment budget implementation, including obstacles and proposed solutions, to the Comptroller General’s Department by the 5th of the following month, for submission to the Cabinet.

The Finance Ministry further stated that budget commitment and disbursement performance will be included in the performance evaluations of agency heads. The Budget Bureau will also use these results to determine future budget allocations for the 2027 fiscal year, aligning them with each agency’s operational capacity.

State enterprises set 95% investment disbursement target

Under the accelerated disbursement plan, state enterprises are required to achieve at least 95% disbursement of their approved investment budgets. The boards of state enterprises have also been instructed to adopt this 95% benchmark as a key performance indicator (KPI) for their chief executives.

The Deputy Prime Ministers and supervising ministers have been asked to oversee implementation and ensure that all state enterprises comply with the following guidelines:

One-year investment projects:

• For equipment purchases, commitments, and disbursements must be completed within Q1 of the 2026 fiscal year.
• For service contracts, obligations must begin in Q1 and be fully committed by Q2.

New multi-year investment projects:

Contract commitments must be finalised within Q2.

New investment proposals for FY2026:

• Agencies must prepare all project documentation in advance to enable immediate contract signing once the budget is approved.
• Front-loaded investment to speed up early-year spending
• State enterprises are also urged to accelerate investment disbursement by front-loading their spending plans into the first two quarters (Q1–Q2) of the 2026 fiscal year. The aim is to prevent a concentration of disbursements in the final quarter and to maintain steady cash flow in the economy.
• Enterprises are advised to prioritise projects with existing contractual obligations and to expedite payments for import-related investment items, which will help balance Thailand’s import–export mechanisms and stabilise the baht.
• If any state enterprise wishes to revise its investment plan during the fiscal year, it must complete the adjustment within Q1 of FY2026.