Bangkok: Thailand’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved the 2026 budget and annual operational plan for the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Authority (MTJA) amounting to about US$5.65 million (US$1=RM4.20). Its Deputy Government Spokesperson Sasikan Watthanachan said the budget and operational plan were proposed by the Ministry of Energy.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the budget will be financed using revenue from profit-sharing of petroleum sales in the final quarter of 2025, totaling US$5.48 million, and from unspent funds from the 2024 budget, amounting to US$167,546, in accordance with the relevant legal requirements. Sasikan explained that the MTJA requested a total budget of US$5.65 million for 2026 operations, comprising approximately US$5.44 million for operating expenditure and about US$212,400 for capital expenditure.

She noted that this was US$74,400 (1.30 percent) lower than the 2025 budget previously approved. The MTJA proposed funding the 2026 budget with profit-sharing revenue from the last quarter of 2025 (US$5.48 million) and carry-over funds from 2024 (US$167,546). It is projected that in fiscal year 2026, the MTJA will generate a total revenue of approximately US$447.60 million.

Sasikan added that for 2026, the MTJA has set out key operational plans for the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area (JDA). The petroleum management of the JDA under the production sharing contracts for Blocks A-18 and B-17-01 will continue with ongoing exploration, development and production activities. The MTJA is a statutory body established in 1991 to manage the JDA in the Gulf of Thailand. Its mandate is to explore and exploit non-living natural resources, particularly petroleum, in the overlapping continental shelf claimed by both countries, with profits and responsibilities shared equally.