The energy sector in Thailand is managed by the National Energy Policy Council (NEPC), established under the National Energy Policy Council Act, B.E. 2535 (1992), with the National Energy Policy Office (NEPO) acting as the Secretariat. To enhance efficient energy sector management, the Energy Policy Committee (EPC) has been established to assist with the work of the NEPC.

Additionally, the NEPC is responsible for the promotion of energy conservation and the management of the Energy Conservation Promotion Fund as per the Energy Conservation Promotion Act, B.E. 2535 (1992). Accordingly, the Energy Conservation Promotion Fund Committee has been established to assist with the management of the Fund and ensure that allocations are made in compliance with the regulations stipulated in the Act.

Members of the above-mentioned governing bodies, their respective authority and duties are summarized as follows:

1. The National Energy Policy Council (NEPC)

Members:

  1. Prime Minister - Chairman
  2. Deputy Prime Minister (as assigned by the Prime Minister) - Vice Chairman
  3. Deputy Prime Ministers
  4. Minister to the Prime Minister's Office (as assigned by the Prime Minister)
  5. Minister of Defence
  6. Minister of Finance
  7. Minister of Foreign Affairs
  8. Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives
  9. Minister of Transport and Communications
  10. Minister of Commerce
  11. Minister of Interior
  12. Minister of Science, Technology and Environment
  13. Minister of Industry
  14. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry
  15. Secretary-General of the Council of State
  16. Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Board
  17. Director of the Bureau of the Budget
  18. Director-General of the Department of Energy Development and Promotion
  19. Secretary General of the National Energy Policy Council - Member and Secretary

Authority and Duties:

  1. To recommend national energy policies and national energy management and development plans to the cabinet.
  2. To set rules and conditions for prescribing energy prices in accordance with national energy policies and national energy management and development plans.
  3. To monitor, supervise, co-ordinate, support and expedite the operations of all committees with authority and duties related to energy, including government agencies, state enterprises and the private sector, to ensure that their operations are in accordance with national energy policies and national energy management and development plans.
  4. To evaluate the implementation of national energy policies and national energy management and development plans.
  5. To perform other functions as assigned by the Prime Minister or the cabinet.

 

2. The Energy Policy Committee (EPC)

Members:

  1. Minister to the Prime Minister's Office (as assigned by the Prime Minister) - Chairman
  2. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry
  3. Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Board
  4. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment
  5. Secretary-General of the Council of State (or Representative)
  6. Director-General of the Department of Energy Development and Promotion
  7. Director-General of the Fiscal Policy Office
  8. Director-General of the Department of Commercial Registration
  9. Director-General of the Department of Mineral Resources
  10. Governor of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
  11. Governor of the Petroleum Authority of Thailand
  12. Secretary General of the National Energy Policy Council - Member and Secretary
  13. Representative of the National Energy Policy Office - Member and Assistant Secretary

Authority and Duties:

  1. To recommend national energy policies and national energy management and development plans to the NEPC.
  2. To provide comments on the energy-related programs and projects of various agencies and suggest priorities for such programs and projects.
  3. To set petroleum prices and premium rates to be collected for the Petroleum Fund.
  4. To perform any other task as may be assigned by the Prime Minister with regard to the management of the Petroleum Fund and other duties under the Royal Decree on the Solution and Prevention of Petroleum Oil Shortage, B.E. 2516 (1973).
  5. To recommend policies and measures on energy pricing and monitor tariff adjustments following the automatic adjustment mechanism.
  6. To consider and recommend to the NEPC royal decrees, ministerial regulations and other measures to be enacted under the Energy Conservation Promotion Act.
  7. To liaise with ministries, bureaus, departments, local administrations, state enterprises and individuals to encourage proposals and technical appraisals related to national energy policies and national energy management and development plans.
  8. To perform any other task as may be assigned by the NEPC or its Chairman.
  9. To appoint sub-committees to assist with particular tasks as deemed necessary.

 

3. The Energy Conservation Promotion Fund Committee

Members:

  1. Deputy Prime Minister (as assigned by the Prime Minister) - Chairman
  2. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment
  3. Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Board
  4. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry
  5. Secretary-General of the Thai Industrial Standards Institute
  6. Director-General of the Comptroller-General's Department
  7. Director-General of the Department of Energy Development and Promotion
  8. Director-General of the Public Works Department
  9. Director-General of the Industrial Works Department
  10. President of the Federation of Thai Industries
  11. President of the Engineering Institute of Thailand under H.M. the King’s Patronage
  12. Qualified persons (not more than seven, appointed by the Cabinet)
  13. Secretary General of the National Energy Policy Council - Member and Secretary

Authority and Duties:

  1. To propose to the NEPC guidelines, criteria, conditions and priorities for the disbursement of funds in accordance with the objectives prescribed under Section 25 of the Energy Conservation Promotion Act, B.E. 2535 (the Act).
  2. To allocate appropriations from the Fund in accordance with the objectives prescribed in Section 25 of the Act, and ensure that they conform to the guidelines, criteria, conditions and priorities prescribed by the NEPC under Section 4 (4) of the Act.
  3. To prescribe regulations on the criteria and procedures for submissions, grants allocations or subsidies from the Fund.
  4. To propose to the NEPC the rates to be imposed on petroleum for the Fund.
  5. To propose to the NEPC the types of petroleum that will be exempted from these rates.
  6. To prescribe those surcharges which are subject to the approval of the NEPC.
  7. To determine exceptional cases where surcharges should be exempted.
  8. To consider for approval requests for financial assistance to promote energy conservation projects under Section 40 (2) of the Act in accordance with the guidelines, criteria and conditions prescribed by the NEPC under Section 4 (8) of the Act.
  9. To prescribe regulations on the criteria and procedures for making requests for assistance under Section 41 of the Act.
  10. To carry out other duties as prescribed under the Act.

 

4. The National Energy Policy Office (NEPO)

The National Energy Policy Office (NEPO) acts as the Secretariat to the NEPC. The authority and duties of NEPO are derived from three pieces of legislation: the National Energy Policy Council Act, B.E. 2535 (1992); the Royal Decree on the Solution and Prevention of Petroleum Oil Shortage, B.E. 2516 (1973); and the Energy Conservation Promotion Act, B.E. 2535 (1992). NEPO's role can be summarized as follows:

  1. To carry out duties as stipulated in the National Energy Policy Council Act, B.E. 2535, and the Energy Conservation Promotion Act, B.E. 2535.
  2. To develop policies, management and development plans and measures related to Thailand’s energy sector in accordance with the National Economic and Social Development Plan and government policies to be presented to the NEPC.
  3. To recommend policies and measures on petroleum taxation and pricing.
  4. To propose measures for both the solution and prevention of petroleum oil shortages, in accordance with the Royal Decree of B.E. 2516 and co-ordinate the implementation of these measures with related agencies.
  5. To recommend policies, management and development plans, and measures related to tariff structures, demand side management and load management.
  6. To recommend policies, management and development plans, and measures related to new and renewable energy.
  7. To provide comments on energy research and on funding requests from the Energy Conservation Promotion Fund for energy-related research.
  8. To co-ordinate and co-operate with international organizations and foreign agencies in energy related matters.
  9. To implement systems for the collection and processing of the information and statistics related to the energy sector.
  10. To perform any other task as stipulated in relevant legislation, or as may be assigned by the Prime Minister or the cabinet.

 

 

 

National Energy Policy Office
Energy Policy and Planning Division
Last Updated 15 October 1997