Legal Measures and Guidelines for Enhancing the Efficiency of Solar Power Installation and Generation Permitting Process in the Agricultural Sector of Sa Kaeo Province

Abstract

This study aims to study the current situation and potential for solar energy utilization, analyze the legal and regulatory factors affecting the permitting process for the installation solar energy systems and electricity generation from solar energy, investigate the attitudes, knowledge, understanding, and needs of the public regarding solar energy utilization and propose appropriate legal guidelines and measures to enhance the efficiency of the permitting process for community-level solar power installation and generation in the agricultural sector of Sa Kaeo Province. This research employed a mixed-methods approach, conducting in-depth interviews with 22 key stakeholders and collecting data from 364 respondents in Wang Nam Yen District, Sa Kaeo Province. The findings revealed that, despite the high potential of solar energy and its ability to reduce agricultural costs, the permitting process still faces limitations stemming from various laws. These include the Forest Act B.E. 2484 (1941), the Energy Business Act B.E. 2550 (2007) Sections 7 and 47, the Factory Act B.E. 2535 (1992), and the Building Control Act B.E. 2522 (1979) Section 8. These legal frameworks result in complex procedures, requiring coordination with multiple agencies, prolonged processing times, and high transaction costs. Quantitative data reflected that the public generally agreed with legal measures (mean = 3.86), while agreement on the positive impacts of solar energy utilization had a mean of 4.35, and government support measures had a mean of 4.29. Furthermore, 71.43% of respondents lacked knowledge regarding legal measures for solar energy and perceived the permitting process as complicated and time-consuming. This aligned with qualitative data, which indicated that the ambiguity of legal procedures and requirements was a significant factor causing public hesitation in initiating the process. The findings also highlighted the necessity for process reform alongside amendments to related laws. This aims to integrate procedures, reduce redundancy, enhance clarity regarding timelines and documentation, and upgrade structural support mechanisms. These include developing procedural manuals, establishing one-stop service centers, and enhancing legal knowledge among the public. All these measures are intended to increase the efficiency of the permitting process, making it faster, more transparent, and more conducive to implementation at the community level. This, in turn, will lead to legal, sustainable utilization of solar energy in the agricultural sector and tangible income distribution to the grassroots.