The government clarified that the 99.3% figure for solar panel imports from China reflects only the proportion of import sources, not the overall domestic usage. It reaffirmed that Thailand has a comprehensive production base.
On 26 September 2026, Ms. Lalida Pertwittayatan, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, addressed reports stating that Thailand imported solar panels from China amounting to 99.3% of import value during January–July 2026. She explained that this figure only represents the "proportion of import origins" and does not reflect the total quantity of solar panels actually used in Thailand. It also does not mean that the budget for the solar promotion projects for the public entirely flows out of the country.
Ms. Lalida said that currently, Thailand has a highly capable solar cell and related equipment production base, with 32 investment-promoted projects from 22 companies covering the supply chain from wafers, solar cells, solar panels to inverters. The combined production capacity exceeds 49,000 megawatt-peak per year. Importantly, these manufacturing processes use domestically produced raw materials and components valued at as much as 26.68 billion baht annually. Therefore, relying solely on import figures to summarize the industry could mislead the public.
The Deputy Spokesperson added that assessing the benefits of promoting solar for the public must consider the entire supply chain, from production base, equipment, installation labor, to maintenance. The government, led by Mr. Warawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, also prioritizes regulating standards for all rooftop solar system components such as solar panels, circuit breakers, inverters, and batteries. Imported equipment must be certified to international standards (IEC) to be compared against Thailand's Industrial Product Standards (TIS). Installation technicians are also regulated to ensure public confidence in the value and highest safety of using clean energy.