Key Takeaways
- The Cabinet approved two draft bills to streamline how foreigners report where they stay: amendments to the Immigration Act and the Hotel Act that would repeal the duty to notify a change of residence or travel to another province, and let the police chief reset the 90-day reporting rules. These are approved bills heading to Parliament, not yet law, so current reporting duties still apply.
- The Cabinet acknowledged the result of the United States' Section 301 Trade Act investigation into Thailand over forced labour and approved setting up a new committee to define standards for imported goods at risk of forced labour. This is a policy decision; the actual import criteria do not exist yet.
- The Cabinet approved a renewed list of 66 controlled goods and services under the Prices of Goods and Services Act B.E. 2542 (1999). The current annual list expires on 30 June B.E. 2569 (2026), so a new Central Committee announcement should follow to maintain controlled status from 1 July.
- The Cabinet approved the FY2027 Budget Bill, totalling THB 3.788 trillion, and sent it to the House of Representatives for debate. The annual parliamentary session is set to close on 12 July B.E. 2569 (2026). The budget is not yet enacted.
- The Cabinet scrapped the 20-baht flat rail-fare plan (phase two) and backed a new joint-fare model and a single-network restructuring of Bangkok's electric trains, which points to renegotiation of private rail concessions. The new fare structure is a policy direction, not a published tariff.
1. Thailand is moving to cut the foreigner stay-reporting burden, but the current rules still apply.
The Cabinet approved two draft bills, an amendment to the Immigration Act and an amendment to the Hotel Act, both reviewed by the Office of the Council of State, that change how the accommodation of foreigners is reported. The drafts would repeal Section 37(3) and (4) of the Immigration Act, which require a foreigner to notify the authorities of a change of residence and of travel to another province for more than 24 hours, on the basis that a 2563 (2020) police regulation already waives these in practice. They would also amend Section 37(5) so that the Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, rather than the statute, sets the criteria, method, and period for the 90-day stay notification. The reform was prompted in part by the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking, which had flagged the reporting burden on foreign residents and their employers.
For employers of foreign staff, for hotels and serviced-apartment operators, and for landlords, this signals a lighter and more flexible reporting regime ahead. The important point for now is timing. These are Cabinet-approved bills, not enacted law, and they still have to pass the House of Representatives and the Senate before anything changes. Until they are enacted and published, the existing obligations remain fully in force, including the 90-day reporting duty and the accommodation notification that hotels and hosts must file.
2. If you import or export goods, Thailand is building a forced-labour screen in response to a US trade investigation.
The Cabinet acknowledged the outcome of the United States' investigation of Thailand under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, which concerned a failure to bar the import of goods made with forced labour, and approved a Ministry of Labour proposal to establish a new Committee on Standards for Imported Goods at Risk from Forced Labour or Services. The committee is tasked with setting measures and guidelines for goods that carry a forced-labour risk, while staying consistent with Thailand's international obligations and the World Trade Organization's most-favoured-nation principle of equal, non-discriminatory treatment.
For importers, manufacturers with cross-border supply chains, and exporters to the United States, this is the start of a Thai forced-labour due-diligence regime rather than a finished rule. No import criteria, prohibited-goods list, or documentation standard exists yet; those are what the new committee will develop. The direction is clear, though, and it aligns Thailand with the forced-labour import controls already operating in the United States and the European Union, so supply-chain mapping done now will not be wasted.
3. If you sell consumer goods or services, the controlled-list renewal lands on 1 July.
The Cabinet approved a renewed list of 66 controlled goods and services, made up of 61 goods and 5 services, following the resolution of the Central Committee on Prices of Goods and Services of 15 June B.E. 2569 (2026). Controlled status under the Prices of Goods and Services Act B.E. 2542 (1999) carries real obligations: businesses dealing in listed items can face price monitoring, cost and price-structure reporting, and restrictions on refusing to sell or hoarding, with penalties for breach. The list has grown over the past year, with plastic resin, bottled drinking water, and seasoning sauce added as controlled goods in March 2569 (2026).
The timing point matters. The current annual list rests on Central Committee Announcement No. 4 B.E. 2568 (2025), which runs for one year from 1 July B.E. 2568 (2025) and therefore expires on 30 June B.E. 2569 (2026). The Cabinet's approval is the step before a fresh Central Committee announcement, which is expected to take over so that controlled status continues without a gap from 1 July. The new announcement, once published, is the operative instrument, so the precise list and effective date should be read from it.
4. If your plans depend on public spending, the FY2027 budget is now before Parliament.
The Cabinet approved the Annual Budget Expenditure Bill for fiscal year B.E. 2570 (2027), as reviewed by the Office of the Council of State, and sent it to the House of Representatives. The bill sets total expenditure at THB 3.788 trillion (3,788,000 million baht). The Cabinet had earlier, on 18 June B.E. 2569 (2026), noted the results of the public consultation required under Section 77 of the Constitution before approving the bill for submission.
For businesses that contract with the state, depend on government disbursement, or plan around the fiscal calendar, the bill is now in the political stage rather than the drafting stage. Parliamentary debate and committee scrutiny follow, and the Cabinet separately approved a Royal Decree closing the first ordinary annual parliamentary session from 12 July B.E. 2569 (2026), which frames the timetable. Fiscal year 2027 begins on 1 October B.E. 2569 (2026). Nothing is appropriated until the bill is passed and takes effect, so treat FY2027 figures as proposed until enactment.
5. If you hold or finance a rail concession, the 20-baht flat fare is out and a single-network model is in.
The Cabinet approved the Ministry of Transport's proposal to cancel the Cabinet resolution of 8 July B.E. 2568 (2025) that had set the 20-baht flat maximum electric-train fare (phase two), and to cancel the assignment to the Digital Government Development Agency to build the Common Clearing House revenue system. In its place, the Cabinet acknowledged a new joint-fare cost-of-living measure and the Land Traffic Management Committee's resolution of 3 December B.E. 2568 (2025) approving a holistic restructuring of the electric-rail network, and directed the responsible committee to proceed.
For rail concessionaires such as the operators of the Green and Blue lines, and for investors in transport infrastructure, the significant point is the move toward single-network management and a renegotiation of fares and revenue-sharing. Press reporting indicates the replacement model is a 17 to 45 baht per-trip joint fare with an annual subsidy of around THB 4 billion and management consolidated under the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, with concession talks to run under Section 43 of the Public-Private Partnership Act. Those fare and subsidy figures are not stated in the Cabinet summary itself and should be confirmed. What the Cabinet decided is the cancellation of the old plan and endorsement of the new direction; the binding fare structure and any concession changes will come later.
Also worth noting
The Cabinet also approved extending the Ministry of Commerce's cost-of-living relief measures, the Green Flag Price-Saver Plus programme and a public relief scheme tied to unrest in the Middle East, from May to September B.E. 2569 (2026), within the existing approved budget of THB 179.84 million; consumer-goods and retail clients may see continued price-relief activity through the third quarter. Separately, the Cabinet approved a draft Ministry of Commerce notification on importing maize for animal feed under the ASEAN Free Trade Area arrangement for 2569 (2026), which is relevant to feed millers and agribusiness importers. The Cabinet also approved a Budget Transfer Bill alongside the main budget, and cleared a series of committee formations and senior appointments, including the ad-hoc committees for the FY2027 budget and the transfer bill, which are procedural and carry no general client impact.
Two near-term compliance dates from our Regulatory Watch tracker remain on the calendar regardless of this Cabinet session. On 1 July B.E. 2569 (2026), the Securities and Exchange Commission's revised material-transaction and connected-transaction rules take effect for listed companies, and the Department of Business Development moves to online-only company incorporation through its Biz Regist system. On 1 October B.E. 2569 (2026), the new Employee Welfare Fund contribution begins for employers with ten or more staff. And the 60-day to 30-day visa-exemption overhaul approved on 19 May B.E. 2569 (2026) remains unpublished in the Royal Gazette, so the current 60-day rules still apply.
Where we can help
Our Immigration team advises employers, hotels, and serviced-apartment operators on the current accommodation and 90-day reporting duties and will map the simplifications in the Immigration and Hotel Act bills as they move through Parliament. Our Corporate & Commercial team advises importers and exporters on forced-labour supply-chain due diligence ahead of the new import standards, and advises sellers on controlled-goods obligations under the Prices of Goods and Services Act. Our Taxation team advises on the fiscal and contracting implications of the FY2027 budget. For rail and infrastructure clients, our Corporate and Litigation & Dispute Resolution teams advise on PPP concession renegotiation and revenue-sharing, and our Intellectual Property team supports brand owners across these supply-chain and consumer touchpoints. To arrange a 30-minute strategy call, contact [email protected].
Disclaimer: This publication is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information contained herein should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific legal counsel. For advice tailored to your circumstances, please contact Dej-Udom & Associates directly.