From Affected Communities to Policy Co-Creators: The Role of Communities in Thailand’s Just Energy Transition

Abstract

This academic article aims to analyze the role of communities in Thailand’s just energy transition, with a particular focus on how community participation should be designed to move beyond the status of information recipients or affected stakeholders toward becoming co-creators of public policy. The study employs a documentary research approach, synthesizing academic literature, laws, government plans and policies, as well as reports from international organizations. The analysis is conducted within the framework of three dimensions of energy justice: distributive justice, procedural justice, and recognition justice, complemented by the ladder of citizen participation and the concept of a just transition.

The analysis indicates that efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of clean energy may generate benefits for society as a whole; however, the costs and benefits are not distributed equally. Communities located near energy projects may bear burdens related to land, the environment, health, livelihoods, and the cost of living, while workers and small-scale entrepreneurs may face risks arising from economic restructuring. Thai legal mechanisms recognize various community rights, public participation, and impact assessment processes. Nevertheless, community participation often takes place only after key policy frameworks, technological choices, or project locations have already been determined, thereby leaving limited space for communities to propose alternatives or negotiate conditions.

This article proposes a “Five Community Rights Cycle,” comprising the right to access decision-relevant information, the right to propose alternatives before commitments are made, the right to participate in determining conditions and benefit-sharing arrangements, the right to monitor and oversee implementation, and the right to seek review and remedies. This cycle connects participation with decision-making power, accountability of both public and private actors, and continuous learning throughout the project life cycle. Key recommendations include assessing justice impacts from the planning stage, disclosing information in accessible and usable forms, allocating resources to support the participation of vulnerable groups, creating options for community ownership and benefit sharing, and establishing independent grievance and appeal mechanisms. A just energy transition can be achieved when communities have meaningful power to participate in determining which projects should proceed, where they should be located, under what conditions, and who should be held accountable when harm occurs.