Thailand is formally preparing the regulatory, industrial, and workforce frameworks for small modular reactors (SMRs) to bolster its long-term energy security. The Nuclear Energy for Peace Commission (NEPC), chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Higher Education, Science, Research & Innovation Minister Yodchanan Wongsawat, approved a policy framework that aligns national standards with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Yodchanan said Thailand has faced continuing energy price and supply volatility because of its dependence on imported fuel. Establishing the foundations for nuclear energy could help strengthen the country’s energy security, while giving Thai industries an opportunity to participate in an emerging high-technology sector.
An assessment of the nuclear energy infrastructure against 19 IAEA requirements (the Milestone Approach) found that Thailand is already prepared in 10 areas. Six areas require further development, while three require urgent action – establishing a national policy, creating a Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation (NEPIO) to lead the programme, and developing a financing plan.
The NEPC agreed on four key areas of preparation.
- The Office of Atoms for Peace was instructed to accelerate preparation of a Nuclear Damage Civil Liability Bill for submission to the Cabinet. The legislation is intended to establish an insurance system, financial guarantees and a transparent and fair state fund consistent with international standards.
- The Higher Education, Science, Research & Innovation Ministry, Education Ministry, Office of the National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council and Energy Ministry will work together on education programmes and a long-term workforce development plan covering SMR technology and nuclear safety regulation.
- Thailand will develop a national policy for the comprehensive management of radioactive waste with the aim of preventing nuclear waste from becoming a burden on future generations.
- The Board of Investment will work with the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP) and relevant research institutions to develop a strategy linking Thai businesses to the global SMR supply chain.
The OAP, established in 1961, is Thailand’s national nuclear regulatory authority. It is a government body operating under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research & Innovation. OAP issues licences for nuclear facilities and audits safety protocols. It ensures compliance with IAEA guidelines. OAP is drafting the safety frameworks, waste management protocols, and civil liability laws before any reactors can physically be built.
Yodchanan said the government was preparing the country in advance so that it would have sufficient information, expertise and regulatory capacity before any major policy decision is made. He said Thailand should move beyond being merely a technology buyer and become a technology value creator.
“Within the SMR ecosystem lies a diverse range of supply chains and advanced technologies, presenting a significant opportunity to enhance the capabilities of Thai industries,” he noted. “This includes industries producing reactor components such as high-performance pumps and valves, advanced construction materials like radiation-resistant cement and steel, and technologies for managing power grid systems and intelligent simulations. Integrating these technologies into Thai industries to achieve international standards requires serious, meticulous, and precise preparation at every step, especially regarding the highest safety standards. We cannot wait for the technology to arrive before preparing; we must start building the foundation today.”
Supachai Pathumnakul, Permanent Secretary of the Higher Education, Science, Research & Innovation Ministry, said the Ministry was ready to mobilise universities and research institutes across the country to support research and development, develop specialist courses and produce highly skilled personnel. The workforce could include nuclear engineers, cybersecurity specialists, data scientists and technology lawyers needed to support the development of a new nuclear-related industrial ecosystem.
The Secretary-General of the Office of Atoms for Peace, Rungruang Kitphati, said nuclear safety would remain the top priority. The regulator will follow the three principles known as the nuclear safety “3S” framework: Safety, Security and Safeguards. The Office is also developing regulations and emergency preparedness plans for nuclear and radiological incidents, with the aim of linking national policy with local-level response systems. Officials also stressed the importance of public participation, transparency and access to information to build public confidence in any future nuclear energy programme.
The NEPC additionally approved the appointment of six experts to its board, covering science, engineering, agriculture, law and medicine. The appointments are intended to bring together expertise from different fields as Thailand develops the foundations for a nuclear energy ecosystem that officials say must be safe, internationally compliant and capable of supporting greater national self-reliance.
Thailand’s 2024 draft Power Development Plan envisaged two SMR plants with combined capacity of 600 MWe. Under the newly unveiled draft Power Development Plan (PDP 2026), which serves as a 25-year roadmap from 2026 to 2050, Thailand significantly expanded its nuclear energy ambitions. The framework positions SMRs as a core strategy to meet surging clean electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, data centres, and electric vehicles.
Thailand aims to connect its first 300 MWe SMR unit to the national grid by 2037. This initial plant will contribute roughly 1% of the country’s total electricity generation. While the earlier draft targeted only 600 MWe, the final preferred scenarios under PDP 2026 increases this to 9,000 MWe of total SMR capacity by 2050.
SMRs will work alongside an expanded renewable energy target, aiming for renewables to make up 73% of the fuel mix under the primary scenario. The goal of this fuel mix is to secure round-the-clock power while driving down average electricity tariffs.
The government is moving through a structured, multi-phase timeline to progress the draft into binding national policy. In August the PDP drafting subcommittee finalised four distinct electricity-supply scenarios. In Early September, the Ministry of Energy, via the Energy Policy & Planning Office (EPPO), hosted its primary public hearing in Bangkok to gather feedback from state agencies, private developers, and civil society. Public comments are being collected online to refine the text.
The Energy Ministry expects to finalise revisions to the draft PDP in October and the finalised framework will be submitted to the NEPC and the Cabinet for official decree and formal implementation in November-December. Because nuclear projects face long regulatory timelines, PDP 2026 includes built-in flexibility to adjust every 2-3 years. The government has designated two primary clean energy alternatives to serve as replacements if SMR deployment hits legal, technical, or public approval delays – aggressive solar expansion paired with battery energy storage systems or natural gas outfitted with carbon capture & storage.
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is Thailand’s state-owned enterprise responsible for power generation and transmission and the primary utility operator. Under PDP 2026 EGAT is designated to lead and operate the first proposed 300 MWe SMR project, conducting feasibility studies, locating potential sites, and selecting the reactor technology.
The NEPC meeting did not designate a site or technology, focusing only on the necessary preparatory measures and the choice of international supplier remains wide open. Although a US-Thailand civil nuclear cooperation agreement (123 Agreement) entered into force in July 2025 and there has been significant US lobbying, Thailand is developing nuclear relationships with other major technology suppliers. China and South Korea are already involved through separate cooperation arrangements.
EGAT signed an SMR cooperation agreement with China National Nuclear Corporation Overseas in 2024 covering discussions on SMR technology and its potential application in Thailand. In 2025, EGAT also signed a cooperation agreement with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.
Regulatory cooperation with China has also developed separately. OAP has held discussions with China’s National Nuclear Safety Administration on nuclear regulation, licensing, inspections and workforce development. However, as yet no formal procurement competition has been announced, and no preferred reactor manufacturer has been named. Officials continue to assess competing technologies before making any commitment.
