PM Confirms New Electricity Rate Structure Will Be Cheaper, Solar Roofs Expected to Drop in Price Like Mobile Phones Did
Thailand's government unveiled a new electricity rate structure offering cheaper bills for consumers, with the first 200 units reduced to 3 baht per unit while promoting household solar installations the PM says will eventually become affor
Prime Minister Anuthin Charnvirakul and Interior Minister announced a new electricity rate restructuring on May 1 at Government House, explaining that citizens will benefit from lower electricity costs by converting sunlight into income through solar roof installations. The government would purchase any surplus electricity generated by households, creating a system comparable to the mobile phone market transformation, where devices that originally cost nearly 200,000 baht are now available for as little as 400 baht.
When asked if solar roof costs could be reduced to improve public accessibility, the Prime Minister said it follows supply-and-demand principles similar to the early mobile phone era. He recalled his first mobile phone cost 120,000 baht and was cumbersome to carry, yet today basic phones cost just 400 baht, sometimes given away free with purchases.
Regarding the electricity rate structure itself, the Prime Minister explained that the first 200 units will be reduced to 3 baht per unit for all consumers equally. Units 200-400 follow a tiered system, while usage above 400 units carries a different rate, representing a fair cost-sharing approach used in many Thai systems.
Concerning timing concerns about implementation relative to billing cycles, he stated that procedures must be followed and that the Energy Regulatory Commission operates as an independent body. He added that implementation began the second week after his policy address to Parliament and would be completed as quickly as possible, with government assistance programs like Kon La Khrueng and Thai Chuay Thai Plus aimed at reaching citizens by early June.
