Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has rejected criticism that the government’s solar subsidy scheme is designed to favour large corporations, accusing some media outlets of “making things up” and suggesting that some reports may have been published “at someone’s request”.
Anutin said some media outlets had published lists of companies registered with the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) and the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), highlighting major firms while overlooking smaller businesses.
He said he had checked the information with both the PEA and MEA and found that the lists were vendor registries covering companies eligible to participate in various projects. However, there was no confirmation that any of the listed companies would be awarded contracts under the scheme.
Anutin said media reports had highlighted major companies, including Gulf and Sino-Thai, while overlooking smaller firms on the same lists. He questioned whether the reports were based on speculation or had been published at someone’s request.
“Nowadays, you have information and I have information. You cannot mislead the public like this,” he said.
He urged the media to act professionally and provide accurate information rather than publish reports without sufficient knowledge or understanding of the scheme.
Responding to concerns from small businesses that the scheme’s criteria could favour larger firms, Anutin said the government was committed to fairness and impartiality in all its operations, including the setting of eligibility requirements for participants.
