"Dr. Warong" urges Govt to end power monopoly, Reform electricity pricing

Today (April 29, 2026) at 10:15 a.m., Mr. Warong Dechgitvigrom, leader of the Thai Pakdee Party, conducted a press conference at the Parliament building to offer solutions to the electricity price problem and to provide an update on the Ministry of Energy's efforts in dealing with the oil crisis. Mr. Warong addressed the Cabinet's acceptance of a new dwelling power tariff structure, which established a price cap of 3 baht per unit for the initial 200 units. He noted that, while the move tries to help small-scale consumers, it does not address Thailand's overall structural problem with electricity rates. He observed that electricity derived from fossil fuels is clearly dominated by major corporations, whereas the world situation needs clean energy (green energy), which is currently declining.

He intends to argue to the Prime Minister that previous renewable energy bidding in Thailand has been semi-rigged, with government-set purchasing prices making it impossible for sellers to compete. Ultimately, it will only help a small percentage of individuals.

Dr. Warong repeated that the easiest option for the country is for the government to allow for competitive bidding on energy pricing, with the requirement that production be accessible 24 hours a day. He confirmed that power rates will undoubtedly fall if the Minister is serious about solving the problem and eliminating the monopoly structure. As Thai citizens, we require power.

As a result, the best solution now is to avoid being misled by diverse capital groupings and avoiding the necessity for a tiered structure. He concluded by expressing faith in the Minister of Energy but not in the country's energy framework. He encouraged the government to promptly investigate this situation and provide clarification to the people, as it involves vested interests worth tens of billions of baht.