3.1.3. Thailand

Comparing the biofuel policies of Thailand with its neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, the Thai government places more significant emphasis on its bioethanol industry. The Thai government has released a series of revised energy plans towards their transition into Thailand 4.0 with emphasis on the use of RE to achieve a low carbon society. In 2012, Thailand introduced the Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP) from 2012–2021 to increase its bioethanol production from 1.2 to 9 <sup>×</sup> 106 L from sugarcane and cassava as well as the oil palm plantation for biodiesel from 2.3 to 6 <sup>×</sup> 10<sup>6</sup> L [90]. The AEDP also aims to increase the mix of RE to 30% by 2036 into the energy mix, with a 25% target of substitution of fuel with biofuel [91]. In 2014, the new power development plan (PDP) was announced with five integration master plans, including the revised PDP and AEDP. The PDP 2015, which covers from 2015–2036, focuses on energy security and fuel diversification, cost of power generation, and lessening CO2 emission of power generation [91]. The AEDP 2015 aimed to achieve 30% of RE in the energy mix in 2036, with 20–25% to be contributed by biofuel [92]. In 2018, the government of Thailand also announced its updated PDP for 2018–2037 to increase RE share up to 35% on the national energy mix [93].

The bioethanol policy of Thailand has been promoting high consumption of the ethanol fuel as the government provides incentives and tax reductions, where the price of gasohol can be 20–40% cheaper than regular gasoline for cars compatible with E20 and E85 gasohol [92]. The government of Thailand implemented public sales of B10 in 2019 and to replace the current B7 by 2021 [94], followed by the possible implementation of B20 on buses and trucks [95]. In its AEDP 2012–2021, the Thai's government has also looked into the production of advanced biodiesel fuel derived from algae and jatropha with a 1.95 <sup>×</sup> 109 L production target [96].
