Thai Enquirer News Summary – September 22, 2026

On September 22, 2026, the opposition People's Party criticized the Thai Chuai Thai Plus Phase 2 scheme, asserting it would not effectively reduce living costs or boost the economy. Deputy party leader Sirikanya Tansakun condemned the 40% co-payment requirement and questioned the use of funds intended for energy transition. She proposed instead targeted assistance for farmers, fishers, and transport workers. The government maintains 40-50 billion baht remains available from the original relief allocation.

Social media spat erupted between Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Sirikanya over the scheme's failure. Anutin dismissed the opposition as politicizing the issue, while Sirikanya accused him of lacking understanding of the laws. Anutin, currently in the United States, emphasized Thailand's stability and economic strengths, including strong parliamentary support and effective cooperation with the military.

During his visit to Tokyo, Anutin called for increased Japanese investment in high-tech sectors, clean energy, and joint supply chain development. He highlighted Thailand's crackdown on illicit operations yielding 20 billion baht in asset seizures and Fitch Ratings upgrading the country's credit outlook from Negative to Stable with a BBB+ rating.

Anutin is currently attending the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, where he will participate in the General Debate and meet with UN Secretary-General candidate Rebeca Grynspan.