A Competitive Retail Electricity Market in Thailand with Structural Reforms and Roles and Responsibilities of Stakeholders

The transition toward liberalized electricity markets is crucial for achieving enhanced efficiency, sustainability, and consumer empowerment in the global energy sector. This paper critically evaluates the structural limitations of Thailand’s enhanced single buyer model, highlighting inefficiencies in capacity expansion, pricing mechanisms, and consumer participation. Drawing on successful reforms from other countries, it proposes a framework for establishing a competitive retail electricity market in Thailand. The market model emphasizes structural unbundling, stakeholder role redefinition, and technological advancements, including smart grid integration. Simulation data and analyses demonstrate the potential for the proposed framework to promote retail-level competition, reduce costs, and empower consumers through mechanisms like peer-to-peer electricity trading and demand response programs. The results emphasize the transformative impact of market liberalization, offering practical insights for policymakers and stakeholders in similar energy transition contexts globally.