Thailand’s solar scheme faces hurdles as low power users turned off by high cost

Toey Wattana Mongkhonnam, a resident of Thailand’s northeastern province of Yasothon, considered installing solar panels on his family home during the Covid-19 pandemic to manage rising electricity costs in a five-person household where monthly bills range between 1,000 baht. The initiative highlights a broader challenge in Thailand's renewable energy sector, where the country's solar scheme faces significant hurdles as low-power users are deterred by the high upfront costs.

The situation underscores economic barriers to adopting residential green energy among lower-consumption households in Thailand. Despite increasing interest in solar power driven by rising daytime temperatures and high electricity usage, financial obstacles continue to limit widespread participation in the government's solar adoption programs.