Thailand’s role in strengthening Asia’s energy security and resilience
Ahead of the Gastech Exhibition & Conference taking place in Bangkok in September, H.E. Akanat Promphan, Thailand’s Minister of Energy, shares his insights on Thailand’s role as a central energy hub in Asia and how Gastech 2026 provides a strategic platform for the global energy industry.
Your Excellency, how is Thailand uniquely positioned to serve as a strategic energy hub for Asia amidst accelerating global energy demand?
As energy demand continues to rise alongside urbanisation and electrification, ensuring secure, reliable, and resilient supply is a shared global priority. Asia is no longer simply part of the global energy story — it is increasingly where the future of energy demand, investment, and infrastructure development is being shaped.
According to the International Energy Agency, Southeast Asia is expected to account for approximately 25% of global energy demand growth through to 2035. Meanwhile, ASEAN is on track to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, creating significant demand for reliable, affordable, and secure energy systems.
Energy security is therefore no longer an isolated challenge that each country can address independently, and Thailand is committed to strengthening supply resilience and accelerating energy delivery both at home and across ASEAN.
How critical is the role of natural gas and LNG in securing the future of energy?
Thailand looks to natural gas and LNG as not only transition fuels, but as strategic foundations of long-term energy security, industrial competitiveness, and regional stability. As economic development continues to transform the ASEAN landscape and fuel increased energy demand, securing reliable LNG supply and strengthening regional infrastructure is now essential to support the growth upon which billions depend.
Through supportive regulation, infrastructure expansion, and strategic regional positioning, Thailand is building an attractive environment for international energy investment. We are also committed to reviewing domestic electricity tariffs and creating a new data centre category to better reflect power costs and create more opportunities for global investors and partners across the energy value chain.
How will Gastech 2026 in Bangkok provide a strategic platform for the global energy industry?
As Asia’s energy demand accelerates, stronger regional cooperation, infrastructure investment, and long-term partnerships are essential to meeting the rapidly evolving needs of billions across the region. Gastech 2026 in Bangkok will provide a strategic platform to convene global energy leaders and help shape the next generation of energy systems that will support long-term energy security, economic growth, and industrial development across Asia.
It will define the region’s collective response to recent disruptions through coordinated long-term investments, cross-border project implementation, and increased regional connectivity. For four days, Thailand will host leading natural gas producers, LNG buyers, low carbon innovators, and investors from across the entire energy value chain, supporting future energy security, economic growth, and long-term resilience.
Your Excellency, as Thailand prepares to host Gastech 2026, what are the country’s key energy priorities you are looking to advance on the global stage?
Gastech 2026 provides Thailand with an opportunity to advance several strategic priorities important to the country’s long-term energy future. These include strengthening LNG supply security and supporting Thailand’s ambition to become a strategic LNG gateway for ASEAN. We are also keen to attract international investment into energy infrastructure, power generation, digitalisation, and future energy technologies.
We will also be showcasing opportunities arising from the 26th Petroleum Bidding Round and highlighting Thailand’s long-term commitment to strengthening domestic energy supply, as well as supporting electrification, grid modernisation, energy storage, and digital technologies that will strengthen system reliability and flexibility.
Advancing carbon capture and storage as part of Thailand’s practical approach to decarbonisation and regional industrial competitiveness is another critical part of our engagements at Gastech, as is accelerating the development of hydrogen and ammonia as future energy solutions that can support long-term energy diversification.
In May 2026, Thailand approved six major projects worth a combined 958 billion baht ($29 billion), led by large-scale data infrastructure expansion including data centre and data hosting services. Launching AixEnergy alongside Gastech 2026 will also convene leaders from the energy and technology sectors to address the growing energy demands associated with AI and digital infrastructure.
