Attawit revealed that the 'Free Solar' bill is preparing to enter parliament by late May, emphasizing its key advantage of immediately cutting installation costs by 50,000 baht.
On 8 May 2026, Mr. Attawit Suwanpakdee, Deputy Leader of the United Thai Nation Party (UTNP), disclosed progress on the draft Solar Power Promotion Act, known as the 'Free Solar' bill. He stated it is currently in the public consultation phase and is expected to be scheduled for the House of Representatives' agenda by the end of May.
Attawit explained that the core of this bill is to break down barriers to accessing clean energy by streamlining the installation process of on-grid solar panels for households. Previously, citizens had to obtain permits from five government agencies; the new law would reduce this to a simple notification accompanied by safety certification from an engineer. This reduction of redundant steps will directly affect installation costs, potentially lowering them by about 40,000 to 50,000 baht. As a result, installation prices, previously in the high hundred-thousands baht range, could drop to just over one hundred thousand baht, easing debt burdens and speeding up investment payback.
Furthermore, the United Thai Nation Party is simultaneously pushing two key pieces of legislation: the Free Solar bill to provide citizens with cheaper electricity, and a Credit Bureau reform bill to improve access to loans for the public.
Regarding concerns about industrial waste from the solar panel expansion, Attawit assured that the Free Solar bill includes measures to address this issue. It integrates with the draft Industrial Waste Management Act, covering electronic waste and electric vehicle (EV) batteries, requiring manufacturers, importers, transporters, and disposers to share responsibility throughout the product life cycle.