Cabinet seeks EC green light on subsidising power bills in May to avoid vote-buying charge

The Cabinet also wants EC permission before it extends the subsidy for vulnerable groups by four more months.

Speaking to reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said the subsidy measures must receive a green light from the EC before they can be implemented.

The election law requires that a caretaker Cabinet seek the election watchdog’s permission before it implements projects that require funding. Without EC permission it can look like the outgoing government is providing subsidies to woo support from voters.

Many people have been complaining on social media that their power bills more than doubled for the months of March and April when the entire country is suffering from a heat wave.

Prayut said the Cabinet resolved to extend the subsidy on power bills for vulnerable groups, as it is scheduled to end this month.

Under the measure, those who use 1-150 units of electricity will receive a reduction of 92.04 satang per unit (100 satang equals 1 baht). Those who use 151-300 units will get a reduction of 67.04 satang per unit.

Prayut said the Cabinet has also resolved to subsidise the bills of general electricity users by 150 baht per bill for May. He added that the power subsidies in May will cost the government 3.5 billion baht.