Should Nuclear Power Have a Future in Thailand? [pdf]

When Thailand removed plans for nuclear power in 2018 from its Power Development Plan (PDP), the questions as to how to generate and how to diversify energy sources remain far from being answered. But the plan has never been totally abandoned. Nuclear advocates still call for the government’s continued support for the nuclear power. Thailand envisions nuclear power for electricity generation as it made several attempts to pursue this source of power, even though none of those plans have materialized yet.

While the pro-nuclear advocates continue to see nuclear power as low-carbon source of electricity, energy security and climate change mitigation. Others argue that there is no pressing need to start using nuclear power in Thailand at present and it is unlikely to return to the national agenda in the coming years. There is also a lack of public support for nuclear power.  The budget and risks are not considered to be worth it. Still the debate is not considered to be resolved.

This E-paper by Tipakson Manpati explores the back and forth in the discourse and strategies around Thailand´s politics on the use of nuclear power, including debates on energy efficiency and long-term safety issues.

Suggested Citation: Manpati, Tipakson (2021), “Should Nuclear Power Have a Future in Thailand?”, Bangkok: Heinrich Böll Stiftung Southeast Asia Regional Office.

Permanent link: https://th.boell.org/en/2021/06/21/should-nuclear-power-have-future-thailand