Thailand’s solar panel imports surge

China has remained Thailand’s largest solar panel supplier over the past five years. Its exports to Thailand reached a record 649.1 million USD in 2023, out of total imports of 654.2 million USD. The figure subsequently fell to 422.3 million USD in 2024 and 364.1 million USD in 2025.

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 22:28

Hanoi (VNA) – Thailand’s solar panel imports surged 88.7% year on year to 426.7 million USD in the first seven months of 2026, with China accounting for 99.3% of the total, according to figures from the Thai Ministry of Commerce and Customs Department.

The sharp increase comes as the Thai Government prepares a programme to encourage households to install solar power systems, amid efforts to reduce electricity costs and promote clean energy.

Imports from China reached 423.9 million USD during January-July, up 107.1% from the same period last year. Singapore and Hong Kong (China) each accounted for about 0.3% of Thailand’s total solar panel imports, at around 1.1 million USD.

According to The Nation of Thailand, the Government plans to provide a subsidy of about 50,000 THB (more than 1,500 USD) per household for rooftop or ground-mounted solar installations. The programme initially targets 1 million households and could be expanded to 1.5 million, with registration expected to open in mid-October 2026 and remain open through the end of 2027.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said the Interior Ministry was preparing to seek 50 billion THB from a 400-billion-THB borrowing package to fund the programme.

Alongside promoting solar power use, Thailand is seeking to revive domestic solar manufacturing. The Ministry of Labour is working to train workers in solar panel assembly, installation and maintenance, while the Government is discussing with the Board of Investment measures to reduce import duties on production inputs that cannot yet be manufactured domestically.

The measures aim to help seven to eight existing Thai factories resume production for the domestic market, develop a local supply chain and create jobs, while improving the competitiveness of domestic manufacturers./.

VNA

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