Thailand TOU On-Peak / Off-Peak Schedule 2026 (MEA & PEA), Made Simple
TOU charges different rates depending on the time of day — power used at On-Peak (weekday daytime) is expensive, while Off-Peak (nights + holidays) is cheap. This page gives the full schedule, per-unit rates, a real saving example, and who a TOU meter suits.
TOU 2026: On-Peak (the expensive window) is 09:00–22:00 Monday–Friday, while Off-Peak (the cheap window) is 22:00–09:00 plus all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. This schedule is identical for the MEA (Bangkok–Nonthaburi–Samut Prakan) and the PEA (other provinces). The saving trick is to shift heavy loads (laundry, dryer, charging an EV at home on a TOU meter, water pumps) into the Off-Peak window. To see which whole days are off-peak, check the 2026 off-peak calendar. Remember every unit still adds the Ft (0.1623 THB/unit) and 7% VAT. See all-type rates and baht-per-unit figures on the current tariff page.
This page answers the timing question — the other three have their own pages
- Want per-unit figures for every customer type, not just TOU → current Thailand electricity tariff 2026: all PEA/MEA rates
- Want to know what On-Peak / Off-Peak actually mean and how they differ → On-Peak / Off-Peak explained
- Want to know whether switching pays off, and in how many months → is a TOU meter worth it: the break-even
What Time Is Off-Peak? On-Peak / Off-Peak Hours (TOU Schedule, MEA & PEA)
On-Peak / Off-Peak are the TOU meter's pricing windows: Off-Peak (cheapest) is 22:00–09:00 Monday–Friday plus all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays; On-Peak (most expensive) is 09:00–22:00 Monday–Friday — identical for the MEA and the PEA.
If the words On-Peak and Off-Peak themselves are still unclear — what each one means and how they differ — the dedicated explainer is What are On-Peak / Off-Peak, and how do they differ? →.
| Period | Time | Indicative rate |
|---|---|---|
| On-Peak (expensive) | Mon–Fri 09:00–22:00 | ~5.8 THB/unit |
| Off-Peak (cheap) | 22:00–09:00 + all Sat–Sun/holidays | ~2.6 THB/unit |
The time schedule below is the same for both the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), for all TOU customer types:
| Period | Days | Hours | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-Peak | Mon–Fri | 09:00–22:00 | Highest |
| Off-Peak | Mon–Fri | 22:00–09:00 | Lowest |
| Off-Peak (holidays) | Sat–Sun & public holidays | All day (00:00–24:00) | Lowest |
Note: days counted as Off-Peak for the full 24 hours are Saturdays, Sundays, National Labour Day and regular public holidays (substitution days do not count), per MEA/PEA announcements — see every 2026 off-peak holiday date in the 2026 (2569) off-peak holiday calendar.
TOU Per-Unit Rates 2026 by Time Band (before Ft + VAT)
Under TOU the per-unit rate depends on when you use power, not on how many units you use: On-Peak (09:00–22:00 Mon–Fri) costs roughly 1.6–2.2 times the Off-Peak rate (22:00–09:00 plus all day Sat–Sun/holidays). Homes and small businesses (Type 1–2) pay On-Peak 5.7982 / Off-Peak 2.6369 THB/unit, while medium–large businesses and factories (Type 3–4) pay On-Peak 4.1025 / Off-Peak 2.5849 THB/unit. Every period adds the Ft of 0.1623 THB/unit plus 7% VAT — the same rates under both MEA and PEA. This table compares the two TOU time bands only; for every customer type and the baht-per-unit answer, see the current Thailand electricity tariff 2026.
The rates below are the base energy charge per unit, before the current Ft (+0.1623 THB/unit, all periods) and 7% VAT. High-voltage users (factories/large business, Type 3–4) get lower per-unit rates than homes/small business (Type 1–2):
| User type | On-Peak (THB/unit) | Off-Peak (THB/unit) |
|---|---|---|
| Home / small business (Type 1–2, <22 kV) | 5.7982 | 2.6369 |
| Medium–large business / factory (Type 3–4, 69 kV+) | 4.1025 | 2.5849 |
| Ft (Sep–Dec 2026) — all periods | +0.1623 THB/unit | |
* Rates are the base energy charge per unit, excluding the Ft and 7% VAT. Type 3–4 TOU users also pay a separate demand charge. See the full all-type rate table on the current tariff page.
You can turn these two rates into your own bill — enter your monthly units and your Off-Peak share in the TOU vs normal-meter comparator and it lays the TOU bill next to the normal progressive-tariff bill, tells you what Off-Peak share you need to break even, and how many months the meter-change fee takes to pay back.
Worked Example: How Much You Save by Shifting Time
Suppose a home on a TOU meter (Type 1–2) has about 10 units/day of “shiftable” heavy loads — washer + dryer, water pump and EV charging. Run at On-Peak (weekday daytime) at 5.7982 THB/unit = ~57.98 THB/day. Shift them to Off-Peak (after 22:00 or on holidays) at 2.6369 THB/unit = ~26.37 THB/day — a saving of about 31.6 THB/day, or ~948 THB/month (before the equal-across-periods Ft). That is purely from re-timing usage, with zero extra investment — the power of using electricity in the cheap window.
Tip: use the timer on your washer, dryer and dishwasher, and schedule the EV to start charging after 22:00 — this shifts the load to Off-Peak automatically without you having to remember.
Which Loads Should You Shift Into the Off-Peak Window?
The timetable above only turns into money if you have loads you can genuinely re-time. This page answers what to shift and into which window; whether changing the meter itself pays off is worked out, with a break-even calculation, at is a TOU meter worth it?. In general you get the full benefit of the Off-Peak window if you:
Use a lot of power at night / early morning — e.g. you work nights, run the AC all night, or have refrigeration/freezers that work hardest overnight.
Use a lot of power on weekends — all of Saturday and Sunday is Off-Peak, so households that are home and power-heavy mainly on weekends benefit.
Charge an EV at home overnight — EVs draw a lot of power; if you schedule charging after 22:00 every night, a TOU meter is often clearly worth it.
Can genuinely shift heavy loads to Off-Peak — if you can timer your washer, dryer, water pump and heaters to run at night/on holidays, you'll get the full benefit of TOU.
It does NOT pay off if your home is power-heavy during weekday daytime (work-from-home, AC on all day, elderly/young children at home during the day), because that's the On-Peak window where TOU is pricier than a normal meter. Such homes are usually better off on the normal (tiered) meter — compare with the home electricity rate per unit 2026 before deciding. Or, if you genuinely use a lot of daytime power, rooftop solar may beat switching to TOU — it self-generates exactly when you need it at midday. See net metering / selling back.
How to Switch to a TOU Meter
Apply to switch to a TOU-rate meter at your local electricity authority — the MEA (for Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan) or the PEA (other provinces). See the full How to apply for a TOU meter with PEA/MEA for steps, documents and fees. There's usually a one-time meter-change fee (for a brand-new meter or a size upgrade instead, see the cost of a new or upgraded 15/30A electricity meter in 2026). Before switching, review your own usage pattern (check past bills for when you mostly use power) against the normal-tariff per-unit rates to confirm you'd actually pay less. Not sure it's worth it? Read is switching to a TOU meter worth it? (break-even math) before you decide. Note: tenants in rented rooms/dorms usually can't change the meter themselves (it belongs to the landlord) and have a separate rate-cap rule — see how rental-room electricity is charged.
About this page
Compiled by the CapSolar team, led by Frank Lee (Founder). The TOU schedule and rates are checked against MEA/PEA announcements and kept current to the latest Ft period. This page is general information, not personal advice — confirm the latest rates with your local electricity authority before deciding.
FAQ
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