Paetongtarn officially releases 11 bn baht to 79,610 village funds
PM Paetongtarn injects 11bn baht into 79,610 village funds, reviving her father’s legacy to boost grassroots economic development nationwide.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Monday presided over a ceremony to inject an additional 11 billion baht into revolving village funds nationwide—a project initiated by her father 21 years ago.
The event took place at 2pm at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi. During the ceremony, Paetongtarn formally announced the release of 11 billion baht to 79,610 village funds across the country.
Organised by the Office of the National Village and Urban Community Fund, the event was attended by Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong, Prime Minister’s Office Minister Jiraporn Sindhuprai, and around 4,000 participants, including officials from relevant government agencies.
Funding Allocated Based on Village Size
Paetongtarn explained that the funds were allocated based on village size, with each fund receiving either 200,000 baht, 300,000 baht, or 400,000 baht. This structure follows the “SML” (Small, Medium, Large) village fund model.
In her speech, she emphasised that the government aimed to empower local communities to decide how to address their own needs. By allocating the funds directly to revolving village funds, residents could take ownership of their development initiatives.
Reviving a Legacy Programme
Paetongtarn noted that the village fund programme has operated for over 20 years, circulating more than 300 billion baht to date. She credited the initiative to her father, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose Thai Rak Thai government launched the programme in 2004 following consultations with rural communities.
The project was continued and expanded by Thaksin’s sister, former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, in 2012 with additional budget allocations.
Paetongtarn reaffirmed that the current government does not distribute direct cash handouts but instead empowers communities to design and manage their own development projects through village-level decision-making.
She expressed hope that the village funds would successfully implement development projects and contribute to grassroots economic growth.
Today, the programme supports over 13 million members of the 79,610 village funds operating nationwide.
