Thai MPs reject clean air changes for 20-member joint panel review
Thai MPs voted 414 to two to reject Senate changes to the clean air bill after a People’s Party MP argued that the revisions favoured big business and weakened public protections.
The House of Representatives voted 414 to two not to approve the Senate-amended draft Clean Air Management Bill. The result requires a 20-member joint committee of the two chambers to consider further revisions.
The Senate completed its review and returned the draft to the House with changes covering five main areas on Thursday (July 9, 2026).
Structure and powers of the provincial clean air committee
The Senate changed the chairmanship arrangements and removed Section 41. The House draft had allowed the provincial governor to intervene only if a plan was not implemented within a reasonable period.
Removal of the deposit-refund system
The Senate removed Part 5 and Sections 175 to 176. These provisions would have required deposits on products at high risk of causing pollution with refunds when residual materials were properly managed rather than burnt.
Greater business representation on committees
The Senate expanded designated business representation on national oversight and technical committees as well as provincial clean air committees.
Safeguards against duplicate taxes and fees
The Senate added safeguards requiring economic measures to avoid overlap with other laws and duplicate clean air fees. They must also avoid unreasonable public burdens and unfair restrictions on competition.
Provisions retained from the House draft
The Senate committee retained Section 211 on the potential joint liability of financial institutions supporting pollution sources in control areas without adequate risk assessment and monitoring. It also retained Chapter 7 on the Clean Air Fund.
Joint committee to be formed with Sarinee proposed by People’s Party
The committee will comprise 10 MPs and 10 senators. The House proposed the following 10 members.
Bhumjaithai Party with four members
- Anurak Chureemas
- Pimphattra Wichaikul
- Anusorn Kraiwatnussorn
- Chawalirt Sangutai
People’s Party with two members
- Phattharaphong Leelaphat
- Sarinee Achavanuntakul
Pheu Thai Party with two members
- Rawee Lekuthai
- Jakkaphon Tangsuttitham
Klatham Party with one member
- Penpuk Rattanakumfu
Democrat Party with one member
- Karndee Leopairote
Phattharaphong Leelaphat, a Chiang Mai MP for the People’s Party, posted after the vote on Thursday (September 3).
“The most important point in today’s debate is that the clean air law must not be amended to the point that it becomes incapable of solving air-pollution problems for the public.”
He said he had supported rejecting the Senate’s amendments so a joint House and Senate committee could restore key provisions removed from the draft.
“The Senate’s three main changes favour big business, take away people’s rights and obstruct decentralisation.”
Favouring big business
Phattharaphong said the Senate had reserved more committee seats for specified business representatives despite their inclusion in the House draft. He also said it had cut industrial fines tenfold from THB50 million to THB5 million while retaining the two-year prison term.
“For a large factory, THB5 million is a cost of doing business, not a punishment.”
He said the Senate had also narrowed the PRTR principle to air-pollution data. This would leave people unable to learn what toxic substances nearby factories released or where toxic waste was dumped or burnt.
Taking away people’s rights
Phattharaphong said many polluting projects could obtain operating licences after meeting town-planning requirements without holding public consultations.
“We MPs closed this loophole in the House draft, but the Senate removed it in its entirety.”
He said the Senate had also removed rights relating to environmental justice, including interim relief and class-action proceedings.
Obstructing decentralisation
Phattharaphong said the House draft made the elected PAO chief executive chair of the provincial committee with the governor supervising its work. The Senate instead made the governor chair.
He argued that centrally appointed governors served for only one year before being transferred and that this prevented sustained action.
“In the end, people have to face the same dust again and again because no one ever works on the problem continuously.”
“This is what we must fight for on behalf of the people in the clean air law. We will keep fighting in the joint committee. I’ll give it my all.”
