Phiphat explained that the issue of 'hidden electricity charges' has existed for over 10 years. The Prime Minister has ordered urgent efforts to reduce the public's burden by finding alternative payers, without adding these costs to the FT rate. He emphasized that the Ministry of Transport cannot shoulder this expense, which amounts to about 10 billion baht per year.
At 09:30 on 23 June 2026 GMT+7. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, spoke at the Government House regarding the issue of public lighting and roadside lighting expenses across many areas being embedded in citizens' electricity bills. He acknowledged the situation but clarified that it is not a current occurrence. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul for trying every possible way to reduce household electricity costs. Upon investigation of each electricity authority, part of the charges come from rural highway lighting for traveler safety, but it was recently discovered that these costs are concealed within the FT of household electricity bills.
Mr. Phiphat continued, saying the Prime Minister has instructed the Ministry of Energy to find solutions. The Ministry of Transport had previously announced that street lamps past their lifespan must be replaced with LED bulbs, which can reduce electricity consumption by 40-50%. This has been publicly stated by the Ministry of Transport. If savings cannot be achieved, discussions with the Budget Bureau will be necessary, since the Ministry of Transport cannot afford to bear these expenses, which amount to over 10 billion baht annually—a significant sum.
Meanwhile, Mr. Phiphat emphasized, that the issue did not arise recently but has persisted for several decades. The Prime Minister has ordered a resolution to reduce electricity costs for the public by finding parties to pay on behalf without adding these costs to the FT.
When asked about Energy Minister Eknath Promphan's statement that budget requests can be made to the Budget Bureau, Mr. Phiphat said that seeking budget is one option, but when requesting funds from the Budget Bureau, questions arise about ownership and source of the collected money from the Ministry of Finance and Budget Bureau. Ultimately, a self-responsible solution must be found by the Ministry of Energy, regardless of the method.