Tui Wattana Mongkonam started thinking about outfitting his family home in northeastern Thailand’s Yasothon province with solar panels during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his household of five, electricity consumption rises as the days get hotter, and the monthly bill can range from 1,000 to 1,500 baht (US$30 to US$45).
“At the time, I checked the prices, and a rooftop panel system that could provide enough power to power household appliances could cost 100,000 to 200,000 baht,” said Tui, a Muay Thai coach in Kuala Lumpur.
Tui’s calculations capture the challenge facing Thailand’s recently proposed 50 billion baht (US$1.5 billion) rooftop solar subsidy plan: whether it can make the switch attractive not only to high-usage households, but also to those with lower bills who may have less money to cover the upfront cost.
