Thailand’s energy sector made up 75% of Thailand’s total GHG emissions in 2017, excluding LULUCF.4
The second largest emitting sector is agriculture which made up 15% of total GHG emissions in 2017 (excluding LULUCF). Rice cultivation is responsible for over 50% of the sector’s emissions followed by soil management (23%) and enteric fermentation from livestock (16%).4
Industrial processes generate 6% of Thailand’s total emissions (excluding LULUCF). The majority of industry emissions are from the mineral industry (60%), followed by the chemical industry, metal production and non-energy products (38% combined).4
The waste sector is responsible for 4% of Thailand’s total emissions. Roughly half of those come from wastewater treatment and discharge, with the remaining emissions from solid waste disposal.4
10 Kahintapongs, S. Renewable Energy Policy Development in Thailand. International Journal of Multidisciplinary in Management and Tourism 4, 148–155 (2020).
11 Luangchosiri, N., Ogawa, T., Okumura, H. & Ishihara, K. N. Success Factors for the Implementation of Community Renewable Energy in Thailand. Energies 2021, Vol. 14, Page 4203 14, 4203 (2021).
12 Campbell, I. & Barlow, C. Hydropower Development and the Loss of Fisheries in the Mekong River Basin. Front Environ Sci 8, 200 (2020).
13 Ministry of Energy. Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP) 2018. (2018).
23EGAT. Why does EGAT plan to build more coal-fired power plants when other Asian countries like China and India suspend new ones? Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (2020).
24 Kusumadewi, T. V., Winyuchakrit, P., Misila, P. & Limmeechokchai, B. GHG Mitigation in Power Sector: Analyzes of Renewable Energy Potential for Thailand’s NDC Roadmap in 2030. Energy Procedia 138, 69–74 (2017).
25 Smuthkalin, C., Murayama, T. & Nishikizawa, S. Evaluation of The Wind Energy Potential of Thailand considering its Environmental and Social Impacts using Geographic Information Systems. International Journal of Renewable Energy Research (IJRER) 8, 575–584 (2018).
27 Kompor, W., Ekkawatpanit, C. & Kositgittiwong, D. Assessment of ocean wave energy resource potential in Thailand. Ocean Coast Manag 160, 64–74 (2018).
32 Gütschow, J., Günther, A. & Pflüger, M. The PRIMAP-hist national historical emissions time series v2.3 (1750-2019). Preprint at doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5175154 (2021).
38 While global cost-effective pathways assessed by the IPCC Special Report 1.5°C provide useful guidance for an upper-limit of emissions trajectories for developed countries, they underestimate the feasible space for such countries to reach net zero earlier. The current generation of models tend to depend strongly on land-use sinks outside of currently developed countries and include fossil fuel use well beyond the time at which these could be phased out, compared to what is understood from bottom-up approaches. The scientific teams which provide these global pathways constantly improve the technologies represented in their models – and novel CDR technologies are now being included in new studies focused on deep mitigation scenarios meeting the Paris Agreement. A wide assessment database of these new scenarios is not yet available; thus, we rely on available scenarios which focus particularly on BECCS as a net-negative emission technology. Accordingly, we do not yet consider land-sector emissions (LULUCF) and other CDR approaches.
Thailandʼs current GHG emissions
MtCO₂e/yr
Displayed values
By sector
Combustion
Fugitive emissions
Other
Agriculture
Industry (processes)
Waste
LULUCF
By gas
CO₂
CH₄
N₂O
Other
073%0
Sectors by gas
Energy
090%0
Agriculture
073%0
Industry (processes)
093%0
Energy system
The power, transport and industry sectors represent the lion’s share of the energy sector emissions.
The electricity sector is dominated by fossil fuels. Fossil gas comprised 66% of the power mix in 2020, whereas coal represented 20%.5 Renewable energy currently represents just 16% of the power mix, and it mainly comes from biofuels. Solar and wind have begun to penetrate the power market in recent years although their share remains low (4%). Hydropower made up a 2% share in 2020.
Thailand’s Power Development Plan (PDP) 2018 foresees fossil gas to represent 53% of power generation by 2037 with coal making up 12% and 9% planned to come from imported hydropower.6,7 The plan also indicates that renewable energy capacity will increase to 37% of the planned new power capacities. The previous PDP set targets for 2036 and the revised version sets them for 2037. In comparison to the previous PDP, Thailand plans to increase its reliance on gas (from 37% to 53%) and decrease its reliance on coal (from 23% to 12%).6
Transport was responsible for the largest share of energy consumption in 2018 (39%), and was responsible for 20% of Thailand’s total emissions in 2016 (excl. LULUCF).4 Thailand aims to decarbonise transport through a CO2 emissions tax, promoting low carbon vehicles and expanding rail infrastructure.4 Thailand has an electric vehicle (EV) roadmap, with a goal to become an EV manufacturing hub for the region, and for 100% of new vehicle sales to be EVs by 2035.2
The Energy Efficiency Plan (EEP 2018-2037) aims for a 30% reduction in energy intensity (energy use per unit of GDP) by 2037 from 2010 level.8
Thailand is increasingly reliant on coal, oil and fossil gas imports,9 which makes it highly dependent on international markets and creates energy insecurity and fuel price risks. Renewable energy offers an opportunity for domestic energy production.10,11 However, hydropower developments in the Mekong River basin, with close to 52 million people depending on it for their livelihoods, could negatively impact biodiversity, livelihoods and economies of the local communities.12
Targets and commitments
Economy-wide targets
Target type
Baseline scenario target
NDC target
Unconditional NDC Target:
30% below business-as-usual by 2030 (excl. LULUCF) or 389 MtCO₂e in 2030.
Conditional NDC Target:
40% below business-as-usual by 2030 (excl. LULUCF) or (333 MtCO₂e in 2030.
Market mechanism
Open to exploring bilateral, regional, and multilateral market-based cooperation.
Long-term target
Thailand committed to a “carbon neutrality” target for 2065 in its Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy (LTS) submitted to the UNFCCC in October 2021.8 In 2022, Thailand submitted a revision of the LTS, brought forward the carbon neutrality year to 2050 and set the target of achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2065.3
Sector coverage
EnergyIndustryWasteAgriculture
Greenhouse gas coverage
CO₂CH₄PFCsHFCsN₂OSF₆
Sectoral targets
Energy
30% of total energy consumption to be non-fossil energy (renewable) by 2037 (AEDP 2018).13
30–35% heat generated from renewables by 2037 (AEDP 2018).13
Energy intensity reduced by 30% by 2037 from 2010 baseline. The target is equivalent to a reduction of 54,371 ktoe from 181,238 ktoe (EEP 2018).8
Buildings
Reduction of energy consumption by 4,819 ktoe by 2036 in commercial and public buildings and 2,153 ktoe in the residential sector.15
Renewable energy in households Total Final Energy Consumption (TFEC) will represent 49% in 2050 (LTS).16