EGAT's hydrogen station, built following the organisation's pilot programme | Photo via EGAT

 

Thailand's Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon has announced plans to advance clean energy initiatives, such as hydrogen and nuclear development, despite limited time under the current government. With Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul set to dissolve Parliament early next year, Auttapol aims to establish groundwork for projects that extend beyond their term. These efforts align with Thailand’s Quick Big Win campaign, which focuses on achieving immediate policy results and supporting the nation's net-zero emissions goal.

 

Under the current government, Auttapol seeks to position Thailand as Southeast Asia’s hub for green hydrogen. Green hydrogen, made using renewable electricity to split water, is intended to reduce emissions and move Thailand towards a low-carbon society. The nation is working to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, earlier than the previous 2065 target.

 

Energy officials are exploring alternatives like hydrogen and ammonia to replace oil, with plans to introduce tax incentives for hydrogen infrastructure. Ammonia serves as a practical hydrogen carrier due to its stability, aiding transportation. Auttapol is also considering small modular reactors (SMRs) for safer nuclear power as part of Thailand’s energy mix.

 

Auttapol’s proposed 540-billion-baht investment plan aims to expand carbon capture and storage technology nationwide. Despite nuclear energy’s inclusion in the 2010 national plan, it was halted after Japan’s Fukushima disaster in 2011. Auttapol’s renewed interest in SMRs highlights a significant shift in energy strategy.

 

Field experts suggest these initiatives could solidify Thailand’s role in the global clean energy transition if implemented effectively. However, concerns remain regarding the government's short timeline and potential political hurdles. Auttapol is committed to essential infrastructure that may influence Thailand’s energy landscape in the years to come.

 

Looking forward, the energy ministry plans to accelerate hydrogen and nuclear projects while securing investment and regulatory support. These actions are crucial for Thailand’s ambitious climate goals and regional leadership in sustainable energy.

 

Key Takeaways

• Thailand aims for regional leadership in green hydrogen production.
• The government faces a tight timeline amid political changes.
• A significant investment is planned for carbon capture technology.

 

Related Stories

Thailand Eyes Small Nuclear Reactors to Boost Clean Energy

Thai Energy Clash: Prime Minister and Energy Minister Disagree on Clean Energy Plans

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-11-10

 

 

56 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Under the current government, Auttapol seeks to position Thailand as Southeast Asia’s hub for green hydrogen. Green hydrogen, made using renewable electricity to split water, is intended to reduce emissions and move Thailand towards a low-carbon society. The nation is working to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, earlier than the previous 2065 target.

Well he has not spoken to the Australian billionaire who recently pull the plug on his hydrogen project because it did not work or was too expensive. Do these people ever read the news from outside of Thailand instead of living in the "Thailand is the greatest bubble".

23 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Well he has not spoken to the Australian billionaire who recently pull the plug on his hydrogen project because it did not work or was too expensive. Do these people ever read the news from outside of Thailand instead of living in the "Thailand is the greatest bubble".

Nothing will happen Thais are All talk no action   Thailand is the hub of BS 

I hope Thailand will not go the dead end street to implement nuclear plants.

Also, before starting the hydrogen business, please improve road safety. Imagine the accidents with trucks carrying hydrogen/ammonia.

And in addition, make sure you got the money.

Zero emissions, 55555555555 let me laugh ! Before infrastructure costing a lot, manage what is creating loads of pollution, here's a clue :

- modified pick-up trucks

- old trucks

- old busses

- fishing boats

- burning crops

- factory standards for their emissions

- waste water management

Improve that to 21st century standards and the country's emission will improve a lot. No big money to spend, just apply the laws... Oh there's the problem, no money involved equals no envelope falling off the table...

 

If I remember well, a couple weeks ago some pm (maybe the same) was willing Thailand to be the hub of solar power ? Changed ideas again, what a surprise !

I don't think hydrogen will ever happen in a big way. There are just too many practical problems to overcome. 

 

 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand's Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon has announced plans to advance clean energy initiatives, such as hydrogen and nuclear development,

Hydrogen is only as clean as the dirties fuels need to generate electricity needed to create the hydrogen.  Hydrogen isn't a fuel source, it's an energy storage unit and its not zero-sum.  The energy you get from it is the energy you used to create it.  "Clean Energy?" Not.

Nuclear?  Better start investing in Small Modular Reactors and Thorium reactors.  Otherwise you need to dispose of spent fuel rods - not quite "clean."

Again Thailand DOES Not do any research before it opens its mouth and spurt out verbal Diarrhea 

Likely it will never happen. Like most things Thai, it has not been thought through. 

Imagine the potential for disaster; Thais plus nuclear plants, hydrogen and ammonia.

Thailand could ban everything that emits carbon and it wouldn't make a bit of difference in the worldwide scheme of things.

 

They'd be better off banning agricultural and solid waste burning.  That would certainly improve the health outcome of millions of Thai people and pesky foreigners.

 

4 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

Again Thailand DOES Not do any research before it opens its mouth and spurt out verbal Diarrhea 

Maybe you do: https://prospluscons.com/pros-and-cons-of-hydrogen-energy/

2 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Likely it will never happen. Like most things Thai, it has not been thought through. 

Imagine the potential for disaster; Thais plus nuclear plants, hydrogen and ammonia.

Remember the Hindenburg!

10 minutes ago, Will Iam Not said:

Remember the Hindenburg!

Should have used helium !  🤣

7 hours ago, connda said:

Hydrogen is only as clean as the dirties fuels need to generate electricity needed to create the hydrogen.

They could use solar panels to produce hydrogen and oxygen

both very good  for combustion   or stored  to run generators while the sun don't shine.

2 minutes ago, johng said:

They could use solar panels to produce hydrogen and oxygen

both very good  for combustion   or stored  to run generators while the sun don't shine.

But how much energy, waste and pollution is created when obtaining the ingredients for and making Solar Panels?

7 minutes ago, Will Iam Not said:

But how much energy, waste and pollution is created when obtaining the ingredients for and making Solar Panels?

Quite a bit  but the environmentalists  say that oil and gas is worse

hence the push towards everything electric,  carbon tax,

15 minutes cities,  own nothing and eat the bugs !!!

1 hour ago, Will Iam Not said:

Remember the Hindenburg!

And was the hydrogen, the cause of the Hindenburg disaster?

 

There is a very long and detailed report here  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg_disaster

 

It is a long and boring read, and as far as I can read into it, despite investigations by the US, German authorities and others, nothing was ever proven that Hydrogen was the cause, Certainly it was a factor, but investigations also pointed to static electricity or even sabotage/

 

26 minutes ago, billd766 said:

or even sabotage/

I think sabotage,  they knew about the static electricity risk  and the 

tower was obviously grounded  being stuck in the ground 😋

On 11/10/2025 at 4:43 PM, snoop1130 said:

Energy Minister Auttapol Rerkpiboon has announced plans to advance clean energy initiatives, such as hydrogen and nuclear development

I don't know about the hydrogen bit but China is keen to trial their SMR (small modular reactors) technology in Thailand and Thailand seems willing to accept. These aren't big nuclear power stations, rather small modular reactors that generate about 300 megawatts, built in a factory and shipped to site. 

 

https://techsauce.co/en/tech-and-biz/thailand-smrs-landscape-experts

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

And was the hydrogen, the cause of the Hindenburg disaster?

 

There is a very long and detailed report here  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg_disaster

 

It is a long and boring read, and as far as I can read into it, despite investigations by the US, German authorities and others, nothing was ever proven that Hydrogen was the cause, Certainly it was a factor, but investigations also pointed to static electricity or even sabotage/

 

Static or a bomb could have been the initial spark, but it was the hydrogen which exploded and burned.

10 hours ago, phaholyothin said:

I don't think hydrogen will ever happen in a big way. There are just too many practical problems to overcome. 

 

 

Haha. Elon Musk, the guy who promised the hyperloop so he could kill the California high speed train and sell more Tesla's can't be trusted on any tech issues. Clearly the same applies to Musk's political positions.

World premiere of the all-new Toyota Hilux

https://media.toyota.co.uk/world-premiere-of-the-all-new-toyota-hilux/

Toyota reveals the all-new ninth generation of its legendary Hilux pick-up

New model is fully aligned with Toyota’s multipath philosophy, giving customers multiple powertrain options to best meet their needs and local driving conditions

Range includes the first battery electric Hilux and Hilux 2.8D 48V, the volume-seller for the UK and Western Europe

Confirmation of a hydrogen fuel cell electric Hilux, scheduled to arrive in 2028

4 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Likely it will never happen. Like most things Thai, it has not been thought through. 

Imagine the potential for disaster; Thais plus nuclear plants, hydrogen and ammonia.

There has been a nuclear reactor in Bangkok for decades.

I know some excellent Thai engineers, but you'll never meet them in bars.

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

And was the hydrogen, the cause of the Hindenburg disaster?

 

There is a very long and detailed report here  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg_disaster

 

It is a long and boring read, and as far as I can read into it, despite investigations by the US, German authorities and others, nothing was ever proven that Hydrogen was the cause, Certainly it was a factor, but investigations also pointed to static electricity or even sabotage/

 

The root cause of the disaster was the USA refusing to continue to supply helium that was used in previous generations of German airships. This then lead to the use of hydrogen in the Hindenberg.

We shouldn't forget that airships did many transatlantic journeys, including to Brazil before the disaster, which pretty well killed airships as a form of commercial transport.

2 hours ago, johng said:

Should have used helium !  🤣

See my comment above. They did use helium initially.

I'm not aware of any successful, commercial-scale carbon capture technology. How to spend money on something that does not exist? (rhetorical question).

i have  friend who works at a very high level in the automotive industry, electric cars are seen as a stop gap, hydrogen is the goal, and the future, the science doesn't quite exist yet, but it is coming. so actually, thailand is onto something -  all you thai bashers will hate to hear! 😁

2 hours ago, Will Iam Not said:

Static or a bomb could have been the initial spark, but it was the hydrogen which exploded and burned.

But when the hydrogen burnt off the fires were still burning over 2 hours later and that was the diesel fuel from the engines.

 

Hydrogen burns, when it catches fire at about 500C with a blue flame and being lighter that air it burns upwards and not outwards as a normal fire would sideways.

 

Try reading the report in full and it will give you much more information. However, as I said the report is long and boring. most of the witnesses were civilians with no idea how to explain what they saw.