Bangkok, Thailand – 18 June 2026 – The project Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy for Southeast Asia (CASE) in Thailand convened the National Energy Transition Dialogue 2026 under the theme “Energy in a Boiling World: Thailand’s Unavoidable Choices.”
The dialogue brought together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, utilities, financial institutes, and development partners to discuss Thailand’s energy future amid ongoing volatility in global energy markets and growing geopolitical uncertainty.
Against this backdrop, the policy dialogue highlighted that the energy transition is no longer only a climate necessity but also a central pillar of national energy security.
The event opened with remarks from Mr Sascha Oppowa, Project Director of CASE at GIZ; Mr Johannes Kerner, Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany; and Mr Watcharin Boonyarit, Deputy Director-General of the Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO), Ministry of Energy.
The event was followed by a keynote address in which Mrs Patcharaporn Phasukavanich, Director of the Strategy and Planning Division at EPPO, highlighted how Thailand has navigated recent energy crises while balancing energy security, affordability, and sustainability.
She provided an overview of the impacts of global energy market disruptions on Thailand’s oil, natural gas, and electricity sectors, as well as the government measures implemented to mitigate these impacts and maintain energy stability.
Mrs Patcharaporn also outlined Thailand’s long-term energy policy framework, which is guided by three core objectives: Energy Security – ensuring sufficient and reliable energy supplies while reducing dependence on imports; Affordability – ensuring access to energy at fair and affordable prices for households and businesses while supporting economic growth; and Sustainability – promoting clean and renewable energy to support the country’s long-term energy transition.
The dialogue featured two expert presentations addressing critical aspects of Thailand’s energy transition.
- Mr Suchart Klaikaew (GIZ) presented on “Green Electricity Demand in Thailand’s Industrial Economy,” highlighting that emerging industries, including advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure, and green technology sectors, will require significantly larger volumes of reliable, affordable, and low-carbon electricity.
- Ms Hanna Fekete (NewClimate Institute) delivered a presentation titled “Gas Under Pressure: Managing Energy Security, Economic Resilience and Livelihoods in Thailand’s Energy Transition,” highlighting the complex tradeoff between job losses from gas industry contraction and benefits from reduced negative environmental impacts for surrounding communities in the shift toward net zero by 2050.
The event concluded with a panel discussion titled “How Should Thailand Adapt Its Energy System in a Changing World?”.
The panelists included Dr Supawan Saelim (Agora Energiewende), Dr Phimsupha Kokchang (ERI), Dr Areeporn Asawinpongphan (TDRI), and Mr Natee Sitthiprasat (RE100). The session was moderated by Ms Maythiwan Kiatgrajai, Senior Energy Advisor for CASE at GIZ.
A key discussion point focused on the challenges and opportunities associated with increasing renewable energy in Thailand’s electricity sector. Panellists highlighted that the energy transition is not only about expanding renewable capacity, but also about modernising the country’s power system, liberalising its electricity market, reforming pricing mechanisms, and improving regulatory framework to accommodate a more decentralised energy system.
As renewable energy technologies such as rooftop solar, battery storage, electric vehicles, and other distributed energy resources continue to grow, Thailand’s traditionally centralised electricity system will need to evolve to enable greater participation from consumers, businesses, and independent power producers.
The panel discussion also emphasised rising demand for clean electricity from industries seeking to meet decarbonisation and ESG commitments, creating opportunities for new mechanisms such as direct power purchase agreements (DPPAs) and Third Party Access (TPA) for renewable energies.
Participants noted that achieving Thailand’s Net Zero target, as well as the broader goals under the PDP and other energy plans, will require more than technological change. The top three priorities are:
- Clear and continuous policy direction
- Strong coordination across government agencies
- Regulatory reform to enable clean energy growth
While challenges remain, these changes present an opportunity to build a more flexible, resilient, and inclusive power system that can support Thailand’s clean energy transition.
- NETD brings together key stakeholders to align perspectives and strengthen collaboration on Thailand’s energy transition.
- Promoting open, evidence-based dialogue to support better energy policy
- And building shared understanding to support a more inclusive, secure, and sustainable energy future.
The National Energy Transition Dialogue (NETD) brings together stakeholders from government, the private sector, academia, civil society, and development partners to exchange views on the future of Thailand’s energy transition. The dialogue serves not only as a platform for energy policy discussion but also as a mechanism to strengthen collaboration across the energy sector, helping to bridge diverse stakeholder perspectives and translate them into actionable pathways for advancing the energy transition.
NETD aims to strengthen the foundations of Thailand’s energy transition by promoting open exchange, evidence-based decision-making, and long-term planning to support a more secure, sustainable, and resilient energy future. Through continued dialogue, common ground can be established, challenges can be better understood, and more practical and inclusive solutions can be developed, reinforcing a collective approach to shaping Thailand’s energy transition across sectors.
