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, EV charging, water pumps) into the Off-Peak window. Remember every unit still adds the Ft (0.1623 THB/unit) and 7% VAT. See all-type rates on the current tariff page and how many baht per unit.
On-Peak / Off-Peak Time Schedule (MEA & PEA)
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: the holidays counted as Off-Peak are the official government public holidays (not a private company's substitute days). Saturdays, Sundays and these holidays are Off-Peak for the full 24 hours.
TOU Per-Unit Rates 2026 (before Ft + VAT)
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 (May–Aug 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.
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.
Who Benefits From a TOU Meter
A TOU meter doesn't suit every home, because On-Peak is pricier than a normal meter. To come out ahead you must genuinely move most of your usage to Off-Peak. In general, it pays off 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. For such homes, rooftop solar often beats 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). There's usually a one-time meter-change fee. Before switching, review your own usage pattern (check past bills for when you mostly use power) against the normal per-unit rates to confirm you'd actually pay less.
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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