Government Confirms No 800 Million THB Budget Approved for Scholarships for Cambodian Children

Recently, messages were circulated on social media claiming that the Minister of Education confirmed the use of an 800 million THB budget to support scholarships for Cambodian children, stating that this was done according to humanitarian and universal principles.

The claim was widely shared on Facebook, TikTok, and other online platforms, accompanied by criticism that the government was using Thai people’s budget to support foreigners.

However, a fact-check based on information from the Ministry of Education, government agencies, and fact-checking media found no evidence to support the claim. The Ministry of Education explicitly denied that it had ever proposed, considered, or approved an 800 million THB budget for scholarships for Cambodian children.

Social Media Posts

The circulated messages stated that the Minister of Education had approved an 800 million THB budget to support scholarships for Cambodian children, citing humanitarian reasons and international cooperation.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Fact Check

Ministry of Education Confirms No Such Budget Was Ever Proposed or Approved

The Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Mr. Tatiyapat Pitisetphan, clarified the facts, confirming that the circulating news claiming that “The Minister of Education proposed 800 million THB for scholarships for Cambodian children” is entirely untrue. He stated that this issue was never presented to a meeting, proposed as a concept, or even discussed at the policy or operational level.

Therefore, the Ministry requests the cooperation of the public, educational personnel, and all media outlets to be cautious in receiving information and to refrain from sharing the false message, in order to jointly stop the misunderstanding that could negatively affect confidence in government organizations and create widespread public confusion. (Source: The Public Relations Department)

Origin of the Misunderstanding: The Education for All Policy in Thailand

The claim likely stems from a misunderstanding of the “Education for All” policy which Thailand has implemented for many years.

Thailand has a policy granting all children residing in the country access to basic education, without discrimination based on nationality or civil registration status.

This principle is based on:

• Section 54 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand
• Section 10 of the National Education Act B.E. 2542 (1999)
• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
• The Cabinet Resolution of July 5, B.E. 2548 (2005) regarding the provision of education for individuals without civil registration documentation or Thai nationality

The policy covers children residing in Thailand, such as:

• Stateless children
• Children without civil registration documentation
• Children of migrant workers
• Foreign children residing in Thailand

Under the Head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Order No. 28/2559 (2016), these groups of children are entitled to 15 years of free basic education, from kindergarten to upper secondary school or equivalent.

However, this policy is for providing education within Thailand to children residing in the country, and is not a scholarship grant or budget transfer to Cambodia.

(Source: Ministry of Education, Parliament)

Ministry of Education Confirms No Impact on the Rights of Thai Children

The Ministry of Education clarified that this program, which offers educational opportunities to children residing in Thailand, does not affect the rights of Thai children in terms of educational opportunities, teaching quality, or safety in schools.

Furthermore, the enrollment of foreign children does not mean they will receive Thai nationality or any change in legal status.

Additionally, related claims, such as “opening a border crossing for Cambodian children to attend school,” have also been confirmed by the government as untrue. Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, Deputy Government Spokesperson, clarified on June 1, 2569 (2026), stating that the widely circulated social media news about opening the Aranyaprathet border crossing in Sa Kaeo province to allow Cambodian children to enter for schooling is false. The government confirms that this news is fake and there is no opening of the Thai-Cambodian border crossing as rumored on social media at this time. (Source: Bangkok Biz News)

Context of Thailand-Cambodia Conflict and the Spread of Misinformation

This claim was circulated during a period when the public was highly interested in the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia, fueled by ongoing border disputes and boundary negotiations. As a result, information concerning national interests, the use of government budgets, and the rights of foreigners was widely shared and interpreted on social media.

During the same period, fact-checking agencies and government bodies also detected several cases of misinformation being spread regarding Cambodia and Thailand’s education policy.

In such situations, information related to “national interest” or “assisting the other side” is often circulated and interpreted in a manner that provokes the emotions of the audience, especially content claiming that the government is using the Thai people’s budget to support Cambodians or grant special privileges to foreigners.

Furthermore, misinformation during periods of international conflict often follows similar patterns, including taking partial true information out of context, linking unrelated issues, or re-circulating old news to create misunderstanding.

This case is similar, in that it connects the real policy of providing education for children residing in Thailand with the claim that Thailand allocated an 800 million THB budget to Cambodia, despite fact-checking finding no evidence that such a policy or project exists.

Therefore, besides the claim of the 800 million THB scholarship lacking supporting evidence, it also reflects the pattern of misinformation that frequently arises when issues of national security and international relations are of public interest.

Conclusion

No evidence was found that the Minister of Education ever confirmed, proposed, or approved an 800 million THB budget for scholarships for Cambodian children.

The Ministry of Education and relevant government agencies have explicitly denied the claim, stating that no such policy was ever discussed or approved.

This claim is likely due to confusion between the policy of education for all children residing in Thailand and the claim that the government is using the budget to support education in Cambodia, which are completely separate issues.