Thailand Opens Public Comment on Household Electricity Rate Increase
Thailand's Energy Regulatory Commission is seeking public input on a proposal to cap residential electricity rates at 3 baht per kilowatt-hour for the first 200 units, with comments open through July 31.
Poolvat Leesombatpaibuun, secretary-general of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), announced that the commission has approved opening public comment on a proposal to revise residential electricity rates using a progressive rate structure. Under the proposal, the first 200 kilowatt-hours would cost no more than 3 baht per unit, applying to households with meters of 5 amperes or less as well as those with higher capacity. The move aligns with a cabinet resolution from April 28, 2025, which mandated that the first 200 units of electricity consumption not exceed 3 baht per unit.
The proposal also seeks to modernize the definition of residential electricity users to reflect current living patterns, including temporary electrical connections for homes without formal house registration, as well as extending benefits to renters and residents of apartment complexes and boarding houses. This aims to better match actual usage patterns and accommodate evolving residential arrangements.
Thailand currently operates under an electricity rate structure for 2022–2025 approved by the National Energy Policy Committee on April 1, 2021. The committee approved a new rate structure for 2026–2030 on July 15, 2025. Going forward, the ERC will work with the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to formalize the proposal before submission to relevant committees. The public is invited to submit comments between July 24–31, 2025, via www.erc.or.th.
