Strengthening Thailand's climate change law prior to its implementation is necessary
In response to public pressure, the state devised the Climate Change Master Plan 2015 to 2050. However, the Climate Change bill needs revisions and supplements to ensure its effectiveness. The bill is expected to become law in 2026, with enforcement beginning in 2027.
The main challenges in implementing Thailand's proposed Climate Change Act include institutional and bureaucratic constraints, political economy issues, vested interests of powerful industries, and incoherent coordination among government bodies. These factors have limited the effectiveness of Thailand's climate action.
Thailand's fragmented, politicised, and slow-moving bureaucracy hinders effective climate action. The government's hesitance, influenced by economic powerhouses opposing stricter climate policies, is evident in continued plans to rely heavily on coal energy until 2036 despite public support for renewables.
Unclear institutional responsibilities and lack of streamlined coordination among key government agencies, such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and planning bodies like NESDC and OPDC, complicate performance monitoring and policy implementation. Temporary structures like the Strategic Transformation Office raise concerns about sustained oversight over long-term climate goals.
To address these challenges, Thailand should incorporate stronger, clearer provisions into the Climate Change Act to enhance bureaucratic capacity and accountability. Strengthening the law’s wording and related regulations can mitigate loopholes exploited by vested interests. Improving institutional coordination by clearly delineating monitoring duties across agencies and establishing regular inter-agency dialogues will help align climate targets with national frameworks. Long-term institutional capacity can be bolstered by creating permanent strategic units for cross-cutting climate governance instead of relying on temporary offices.
Additionally, ongoing stakeholder engagement fosters inclusive policy-making and technical rigor, which can enhance legitimacy and effectiveness of implementation. Addressing financial constraints and mobilizing climate finance is critical to support adaptation and emission reduction initiatives.
Climate change has caused environmental devastation in Thailand, including intense droughts, flooding, and declining biodiversity. Thailand was ranked as the ninth most affected country by climate change in 2021 according to the Global Climate Risk Index. The article also relates to the Sustainable Development Goals such as 7. Energy, 11. Cities, 13. Climate, 15. Biodiversity, and 16. Peace.
Thailand is set to implement a Climate Change Act this year. This article was first published in Fulcrum, ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute's blogsite, and pertains to various tags including biodiversity, carbon accounting, carbon tax, carbon trading, clean energy, emissions, fossil fuels, renewable energy, climate, decarbonisation, climate law, energy transition, climate risk. It is related to topics such as Carbon & Climate, Energy, Policy & Finance, and regions like Asia Pacific and Thailand.
References: [1] Watcharapol Supajakwattana, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Naresuan University, Thailand. [2] Paul Chambers, Visiting Fellow, ISEAS, the German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance. [3] Thailand’s Emissions Trading Scheme: A Step Towards Climate Action? [4] Financing Thailand's Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Challenges and Opportunities
- The Climate Change Master Plan 2015 to 2050 in Thailand, designed to combat climate change, necessitates revisions and additional measures to ensure its effectiveness.
- The proposed Climate Change Act in Thailand faces challenges due to institutional and bureaucratic constraints, political economy issues, and vested interests of powerful industries.
- To enhance the effectiveness of the Climate Change Act, Thailand should implement stronger, clearer provisions to boost bureaucratic capacity and accountability.
- Strengthening the law’s wording and related regulations can help mitigate loopholes that vested interests exploit.
- Improving institutional coordination by clearly delineating monitoring duties across agencies and establishing regular inter-agency dialogues will aid in aligning climate targets with national frameworks.
- Ongoing stakeholder engagement and addressing financial constraints are crucial to support adaptation and emission reduction initiatives in Thailand.
- The Climate Change Act's implementation in Thailand is related to various topics such as biodiversity, carbon accounting, carbon tax, carbon trading, clean energy, emissions, fossil fuels, renewable energy, climate, decarbonisation, climate law, energy transition, and climate risk.
