Thailand’s 2024 Power Development Plan (PDP) is under scrutiny as officials and experts weigh adjustments to ensure sustainable long-term energy management and align with the nation’s climate goals. The plan, which outlines energy strategies until 2037, is currently under review by the Energy Policy and Planning Office before its submission to the National Energy Policy Council, chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Energy experts have raised concerns about the projected power demand, set to reach 112,391 megawatts by 2037—more than double the current demand of 51,000MW. Critics argue this estimation imposes significant investment burdens and falls short of adequately supporting the government’s global warming mitigation efforts.
The plan aims to increase the share of renewable energy from 20% last year to 51% by 2037 while reducing the reliance on coal and gas from nearly 80% to 48%. A minor contribution of 1% is allocated for nuclear and innovative energy solutions. However, experts believe these measures are insufficient to meet Thailand’s carbon neutrality target by 2050 and net-zero emissions goal by 2065, announced by former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference in 2021.
Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga has not provided a definitive stance on the plan, and permanent secretary Prasert Sinsukprasert stated that formal decisions regarding potential changes would be announced next year.
Additionally, the Energy Ministry plans to initiate petroleum exploration and production projects in the Andaman Sea, inviting proposals from Thai and foreign companies in the first quarter of 2025. Officials believe there may be undiscovered reserves near existing offshore gas fields in Myanmar.
The PDP’s revision process has already involved public hearings, and discussions remain ongoing among energy policymakers and stakeholders.
