According to the draft updated national budget, the Ministry of Finance expects total revenue from subsoil users in the form of bonuses and royalties to reach 10.3 billion som by the end of 2026. This amount significantly exceeds the initial forecasts and last year's figures.
Payments and plan execution by subsoil users
The ministry had previously forecast payments from subsoil users in the form of bonuses and royalties at 6 billion som. However, the updated estimate published on October 30 raises this figure to 10.3 billion som.
At present, from January to September 2026, the national budget has already received 8.4 billion som in bonuses and royalties. This means the updated annual plan has been executed at 82%.
If the updated annual plan is met, expected bonus and royalty revenue will exceed actual payments in 2025 by more than forty percent.
Definition of payments
It is worth noting that under the Tax Code, a bonus is a one-time payment for the right to use subsoil. The rates for calculating the bonus depend on the number of minerals or the size of the licensed area. Royalties, in turn, are current payments calculated on the basis of revenue/cost or the value of pure metal in ore and concentrate.
