Cabinet approves over 5 billion baht to bolster armed forces

At Government House on Tuesday, December 23, Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat said the Cabinet approved central budget funding for the Royal Thai Army to procure additional equipment to strengthen personnel capabilities, amounting to 206 million baht.

He said the details remain classified, but stressed that the government is backing the military’s capability enhancement.

Siripong added that the Cabinet also approved the Ministry of Defence’s use of the fiscal year 2026 central budget under the contingency reserve for emergencies or necessities to provide additional support to the armed forces — through the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, the Army, the Navy and the Air Force — within a total framework of 5.05 million baht. 

The details are also classified, he said, but the decision is intended to demonstrate the government’s full support for personnel carrying out ongoing missions to protect Thailand’s sovereignty.

He said the National Security Council (NSC) also sought Cabinet approval to revise a Cabinet resolution dated August 5, which set compensation criteria for those affected by the Thailand–Cambodia border situation, covering incidents from July 16 to August 2.

Because the earlier resolution left those affected after August 2 outside the criteria — including soldiers injured by landmines and people affected by subsequent clashes — the NSC proposed extending the same compensation framework, using the existing budget envelope, from July 16 until the Thailand–Cambodia border situation returns to normal.

The compensation criteria would remain unchanged.