PATTAYA, Thailand – The government is preparing a major overhaul of the country’s electricity pricing structure, with higher rates planned for households consuming more than 200 units per month, in a move aimed at easing the burden on low-usage consumers and accelerating rooftop solar adoption.
Energy Minister Akanat Promphan said the proposal will be submitted to the Cabinet and the National Energy Policy Council of Thailand for approval in the coming days, with implementation targeted as early as the June 2026 billing cycle.
Under the proposed structure, households using up to 200 units per month—covering around 14 million of Thailand’s 22 million households—would pay a reduced rate of no more than 3 baht per unit.
For those exceeding 200 units, the first 200 units would still be charged at the lower rate, but consumption beyond that threshold would be billed at a higher, revised rate, potentially above current levels. Around 8 million households are expected to fall into this higher-usage category.
The policy is designed to encourage energy conservation while promoting investment in rooftop solar systems. Authorities are also planning to support installations through low-interest financing, allowing households to offset electricity costs by generating their own power.
Excess electricity produced from rooftop solar could be sold back to the grid at a proposed rate of 2.20 baht per unit, which officials say is higher than current buyback rates under some solar farm schemes.
“For those using more than 200 units, this is the time to consider solar,” Akanat said, adding that streamlined approval processes for installation are also being developed.
In the meantime, electricity bills for the May–August 2026 period will follow the existing structure approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission of Thailand. The fuel tariff (Ft) has been set at 16.23 satang per unit, bringing the average electricity cost to 3.95 baht per unit, excluding VAT—up from 3.88 baht in the previous billing period.
The new tariff structure is expected to be finalized after Cabinet and policy council approval, followed by regulatory procedures and a public consultation process before taking effect.
