PUBLISHED : 9 Sep 2026 at 11:52
WRITER: Reuters and Post reporters
The Thai government’s programme ​to ⁠provide 50 billion baht (US$1.52 ‌billion) in support to consumers ⁠to install rooftop solar panels will start in ​mid-October, Finance Minister ⁠Ekniti Nitithanprapas said on Wednesday.
The government will exempt ​tax ‌on some solar ​panel ⁠part imports, Mr ⁠Ekniti Nitithanprapas said.
⁠According to Areeporn Asawinpongphan, an energy policy specialist at Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), the government’s energy transition measures, particularly its promotion of household rooftop solar installations, are a good starting point for Thailand’s shift to cleaner energy.
The government’s initiatives could genuinely help drive the country’s energy transition, as the cost of installing solar power has fallen considerably, not only for rooftop solar systems but also for solar farms, she noted.
If Thailand can support greater electricity generation from solar power, it would reduce the need to import fuel from abroad, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG), while also supporting the energy transition and strengthening energy security.
“However, rooftop solar installations are most suitable for households that consume a significant amount of electricity during the daytime, and may not be suitable for every household,” said Ms Areeporn.
“For households that use relatively little electricity during the day and consume more at night, installing rooftop solar without a battery storage system would provide them with very little benefit.”
Consumer protection officials inspect solar energy and lighting products at a shopping centre in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 20, 2026. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)
Renewables including solar make up about 10% of Thailand’s power generation, ‌while gas accounts for more than 60%, government data for the six months through June showed.
Over a quarter of the gas used for electricity generation is imported, according to energy think-tank IEEFA. Thailand buys half its ⁠LNG on the spot market, Kpler data shows, making it more vulnerable to shocks such as the surge in LNG prices after the United States and Israel launched the war with Iran six months ago.
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