Thailand: heat country snapshot

Heat context

Climate: Official guidance or data Monsoonal climate: hot-humid exposure especially Bangkok/southern lowlands, with seasonally drier intense heat inland; evaluate humidity by season and time rather than treating Thailand as one cooling climate. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 · ADB Thailand heat policy and solutions report Night heat: Measured in a study 1970–2024 analysis finds growing independent hot-night and compound hot-event exposure; station-district coverage does not establish every city’s bedroom conditions. Hot-day, hot-night and compound-event trends in Thailand Temperature record: Official guidance or data Value: 28.5 Unit: °C annual mean dry-bulb temperature Period: 2024 Place: Thailand national station summary Sample: TMD station aggregate; exact station count not reported in reviewed summary Baseline: Period: 1991–2020 Value: 27.4 Unit: °C Anomaly: 1.1 TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024

Plans

Official guidance or data WHO2026 profile lists Health National Adaptation Plan Phase1(2021–2030) as approved and under revision. It marks a heat-health plan present for 2025 while its note describes further national plan development as forthcoming. Final standalone HHAP text, adoption date and legal instrument not verified. WHO Thailand climate-and-health country profile (opens in a new tab)
Reported, not evaluated Bangkok 2026 urban-heat response is reported, but February BMA account describes submitting a draft for approval; October UNDP strategy references the urban-heat plan. Signed adoption instrument and final annexes not retrieved. BMA urban-heat preparation and warning levels (opens in a new tab) · Bangkok heat-financing strategy (opens in a new tab)
Reported, not evaluated September 2026 AIT/Vital Strategies account describes development of an integrated evidence-based Bangkok HHAP and roadmap. This is distinct from seasonal cooling-centre response. AIT/Vital Strategies/BMA heat-health-plan development (opens in a new tab)
Official guidance or data ADB2026 suggests a national HAP roadmap; an external recommended roadmap is not an adopted government obligation. ADB Thailand heat policy and solutions report (opens in a new tab)

Who is responsible

Institution: Department of Health / Ministry of Public Health Institution type: health Role: Heat-health risk information, HNAP and planning WHO Thailand climate-and-health country profile (opens in a new tab)
Institution: Thai Meteorological Department Institution type: met Role: Meteorological observations and Heat Index inputs TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) · WHO Thailand climate-and-health country profile (opens in a new tab)
Institution: BMA environment/health departments and district offices Institution type: city Role: City heat response and departmental coordination; exact accepted HHAP roles require final plan BMA urban-heat preparation and warning levels (opens in a new tab) · Government account of Bangkok cooling centres (opens in a new tab) · AIT/Vital Strategies/BMA heat-health-plan development (opens in a new tab)
Institution: Department of Labour Protection and Welfare Institution type: nat Role: Occupational regulation and inspection framework Thai heat/light/noise occupational regulation (opens in a new tab) · Department of Labour Protection and Welfare legal resource page (opens in a new tab)
Institution: DEDE / EGAT / DIW Institution type: utilities Role: Distinct efficiency, labelling and refrigerant-policy functions; not one agency EGAT Label No.5 label update (no longer online) · Thailand Kigali ratification and national ozone unit (opens in a new tab) · RAC NAMA Thailand project history (opens in a new tab)

Warnings

Official guidance or data WHO documents DOH/TMD heat-health information integration, with a shift to Heat Index in 2025, official dashboards and risk communication. Offline receipt and uniform local activation/finance arrangements not verified. WHO Thailand climate-and-health country profile (opens in a new tab)
Reported, not evaluated BMA publishes colour-coded Heat Index guidance. Heat Index, WBGT, dry-bulb air temperature and satellite land-surface temperature cannot safely be interchanged. BMA urban-heat preparation and warning levels (opens in a new tab)

Rules for heat at work

Legal basis: Official guidance or data Ministerial Regulation on occupational heat/light/noise B.E.2559(2016), under the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Act B.E.2554(2011), published17October 2016. Current labour authority provides text and measurement notifications; full later-amendment audit not completed. Thai heat/light/noise occupational regulation · Department of Labour Protection and Welfare legal resource page Limits:

Workload: light Value: 34 Unit: °C WBGT
Workload: moderate Value: 32 Unit: °C WBGT
Workload: heavy Value: 30 Unit: °C WBGT

Measurement: Law defines average WBGT during the hottest two hours of normal work, with workload classes; obtain qualified assessment for the specific task. Legal controls: Warning signs, engineering correction and documentation; workload controls where engineering cannot meet standard. Limit sources: Thai heat/light/noise occupational regulation Caveat: These are statutory WBGT limits, not a universal ambient-temperature stop-work rule, proof of universal physiological safety or automatic entitlement for all self-employed workers. Paid rest and enforcement would be worth verifying locally. Research: Measured in a study Thai observational construction/foundry study found heat strain among some workers even under compliant conditions; do not interpret compliance as a guarantee. Occupational heat standard and worker strain study

Cooling and buildings

Official guidance or data ADB discusses heat-policy options and passive/active cooling. Detailed BEC scope and current amendments require direct DEDE/legal verification because DEDE pages returned502; no numerical building-coverage threshold presented as verified here. ADB Thailand heat policy and solutions report (opens in a new tab)
Official guidance or data EGAT Label No.5 provides a current route to compare certified equipment; updated stars introduced 2024. Check the exact model and operating assumptions. EGAT Label No.5 label update (no longer online) · EGAT current consumer and certified-product route (opens in a new tab)
Official guidance or data UNEP treaty record lists Thailand Kigali ratification3April 2024 and HFC licensing; DIW national ozone unit is the counterpart. A treaty commitment does not verify a particular appliance refrigerant or servicing practice. Thailand Kigali ratification and national ozone unit (opens in a new tab)

Money for protection

BMA public budgets and grant/concessional pathways Official guidance or data UNDP/BMA strategy analyses budget and legally possible capital routes. It does not establish that every route has been used for heat or that Common Shade is eligible. Bangkok heat-financing strategy - full report (opens in a new tab) Access: Agency budget/project preparation and relevant approvals; no open small-collaborative application verified.
Environmental Fund adaptation route Official guidance or data Strategy describes a local-government adaptation proposal route under Environmental Fund guidance. Original current call and project eligibility need confirmation. Bangkok heat-financing strategy - full report (opens in a new tab) Access: Explore jointly with eligible public counterpart; not an automatic NGO entitlement.
Historical RAC NAMA fund Reported, not evaluated GIZ factsheet documents EGAT-managed mechanisms for producers, users and training/testing. Historical phase closed; not presented as a current call. RAC NAMA Thailand project history (opens in a new tab) · RAC NAMA fund mechanism factsheet (opens in a new tab) Access: Historical learning case; current access not verified.
EGAT Cooling Innovation Fund Reported, not evaluated 2022 primary successor account describes fund and technical support focus; current eligibility and allocations not verified. Cooling Innovation Fund successor account (opens in a new tab) Access: Confirm with EGAT/GIZ; no current open route assumed.
Bangkok health/worker research collaborations Reported, not evaluated BMA/AIT/Vital Strategies and HomeNet/WIEGO work offer research/delivery relationships, not verified open grant mechanisms. AIT/Vital Strategies/BMA heat-health-plan development (opens in a new tab) · HomeNet Thailand/WIEGO Bangkok heat study (opens in a new tab) Access: Proposed contribution to existing work, subject to invitation and fit.

Costs

Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs.

Gaps in what we found

No consistent national city exposure ranking verified.
Signed final heat-plan adoption instruments and annexes not retrieved.
Comparable indoor/night heat, worker income, migrant/disability access, centre opening/access and recurrent budgets insufficient in collected evidence.
Nationwide heat-triggered cash/insurance benefits, current grant calls and city unit costs not verified.

Ways to help (proposed)

Worker-informed warning-to-action protocol with HomeNet/WIEGO and relevant city/employer counterparts.
Test cooling-centre accessibility, actual hours, power/water and night coverage with BMA.
Support costed municipal portfolios and public-service maintenance arrangements.
Seek qualified worker heat measurement and operating changes alongside compliance.

Known, inferred, uncertain

Known: Official warnings, employer regulation, Bangkok services and research partnerships documented. Inferred: Common Shade can connect them through practical accountability and operating finance. Uncertain: Final adoption, local reach, programme outcomes and current applicant eligibility.

Paying when heat strikes

The layers of money we found for heat in Thailand, from the systems that reach people to risk shared with insurers: Contingent finance, Social protection. Each is shown with how it is released, how it reaches people, and what we could not find.

See Thailand, layer by layer

Cities

Bangkok

Heat context: Climate: Hot-humid urban setting; assess hot nights and occupied-room conditions. Basis: Contextual researcher interpretation, not a measured citywide humidity series. World Bank Shaping a Cooler Bangkok (opens in a new tab) · HomeNet Thailand/WIEGO Bangkok heat study (opens in a new tab) Night heat: Comparable city-specific occupied-room/night series not verified; national hot-night trend is not a city measurement.

Official heat plans: Reported, not evaluated Seasonal response and centres reported; newer integrated HHAP/roadmap in development. Signed final adoption instrument not verified. BMA urban-heat preparation and warning levels (opens in a new tab) · Government account of Bangkok cooling centres (opens in a new tab) · AIT/Vital Strategies/BMA heat-health-plan development (opens in a new tab)

Agencies responsible: Documented:

BMA Environment Department
BMA health services and district offices

Proposed counterparts:

Municipal planning, public health and building authorities
Provincial public-health and labour-protection offices
TMD local/regional station
School, market, water and electricity service operators
Locally identified worker/community representatives

Caveat: Proposed coordination roles are not claims of accepted membership or delegated heat authority. BMA urban-heat preparation and warning levels · Government account of Bangkok cooling centres · AIT/Vital Strategies/BMA heat-health-plan development

Warnings: National reference: country.warning_systems Local trigger: Bangkok publishes Heat Index bands; elsewhere city-specific validated action threshold not verified. Reach: Offline, migrant-language, disability and isolated-person reach require testing.

Rules for heat at work: Reference: country.occupational_heat_rules Local inspection and paid rest: Not verified; national law not a guarantee of universal local coverage.

Cooling and buildings: Reference: country.cooling_and_building_policy Local specific rule: Not verified; check local building control and property class. Suitability: Shade/solar-gain reduction and active cooling need local assessment; avoid prescribing evaporation in humid exposure without field appraisal.

Money for protection: Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Local heat budget: Not verified Reference: country.finance_mechanisms; BMA-specific powers cannot safely be transferred to other municipalities.

Gaps in what we found:

Adopted local plan, budget execution, monitoring, delivered reach and independent health/income effects not fully established.

A place to start (proposed): Link warnings and centres to paid/rest income arrangements, market shade, clinic access and trusted worker feedback.

Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Urban-heat analysis and worker research; both include model/measurement limitations. Inferred: Link warnings and centres to paid/rest income arrangements, market shade, clinic access and trusted worker feedback. Uncertain: Local climate/health exposure, authority, costs, reach and outcome effectiveness.

Boundary: Special administrative area; district risk is not identical to entire metropolitan region

Selection status: Documented heat-concern case; national most-exposed ranking not verified.

Selection basis: Measured in a study Urban-heat analysis and worker research; both include model/measurement limitations. World Bank Shaping a Cooler Bangkok (opens in a new tab) · HomeNet Thailand/WIEGO Bangkok heat study (opens in a new tab)

Tradeoffs to assess:

Peak load, bills, outages and critical-service fallback
Refrigerant safety and servicing, water demand and maintenance
Tenure/rent displacement, gendered care and household affordability
Worker pay, disability access, language and migrant inclusion
Actual people-level heat exposure rather than surface-temperature proxy

Chiang Mai

Heat context: Climate: Seasonally drier inland heat, humid monsoon periods; investigate heat and smoke jointly. Basis: Contextual researcher interpretation, not a measured citywide humidity series. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) · ADB Thailand heat policy and solutions report (opens in a new tab) · Chiang Mai public-health heat warning (opens in a new tab) Night heat: Comparable city-specific occupied-room/night series not verified; national hot-night trend is not a city measurement.

Official heat plans: Reported, not evaluated Regional Disease Control Office1 heat communication verified; municipal adopted HAP not retrieved. Chiang Mai public-health heat warning (opens in a new tab)

Agencies responsible: Documented:

Disease Control Office1 regional communication

Proposed counterparts:

Municipal planning, public health and building authorities
Provincial public-health and labour-protection offices
TMD local/regional station
School, market, water and electricity service operators
Locally identified worker/community representatives

Caveat: Proposed coordination roles are not claims of accepted membership or delegated heat authority. Chiang Mai public-health heat warning

Warnings: National reference: country.warning_systems Local trigger: Bangkok publishes Heat Index bands; elsewhere city-specific validated action threshold not verified. Reach: Offline, migrant-language, disability and isolated-person reach require testing.

Rules for heat at work: Reference: country.occupational_heat_rules Local inspection and paid rest: Not verified; national law not a guarantee of universal local coverage.

Cooling and buildings: Reference: country.cooling_and_building_policy Local specific rule: Not verified; check local building control and property class. Suitability: Shade/solar-gain reduction and active cooling need local assessment; avoid prescribing evaporation in humid exposure without field appraisal.

Money for protection: Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Local heat budget: Not verified Reference: country.finance_mechanisms; BMA-specific powers cannot safely be transferred to other municipalities.

Gaps in what we found:

Adopted local plan, budget execution, monitoring, delivered reach and independent health/income effects not fully established.

A place to start (proposed): Test health warnings, usable cooler indoor spaces and outdoor-worker protection; assess air quality before ventilation decisions.

Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: TMD urban-district record and official regional health warning; ADB highlights urban heat. Inferred: Test health warnings, usable cooler indoor spaces and outdoor-worker protection; assess air quality before ventilation decisions. Uncertain: Local climate/health exposure, authority, costs, reach and outcome effectiveness.

Boundary: Municipality / Mueang district / wider province are best kept distinct

Selection status: Documented heat-concern case; national most-exposed ranking not verified.

Selection basis: Official guidance or data TMD urban-district record and official regional health warning; ADB highlights urban heat. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) · ADB Thailand heat policy and solutions report (opens in a new tab) · Chiang Mai public-health heat warning (opens in a new tab)

Tradeoffs to assess:

Peak load, bills, outages and critical-service fallback
Refrigerant safety and servicing, water demand and maintenance
Tenure/rent displacement, gendered care and household affordability
Worker pay, disability access, language and migrant inclusion
Actual people-level heat exposure rather than surface-temperature proxy

Lampang

Heat context: Climate: Seasonally drier northern setting; do not extrapolate daily humidity or night recovery. Basis: Contextual researcher interpretation, not a measured citywide humidity series. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) · Thai government 2026 seasonal heat communication (no longer online) Night heat: Comparable city-specific occupied-room/night series not verified; national hot-night trend is not a city measurement.

Official heat plans: Official guidance or data Provincial risk communication documented nationally; adopted city HAP not retrieved. Thai government 2026 seasonal heat communication (no longer online)

Agencies responsible: Proposed counterparts:

Municipal planning, public health and building authorities
Provincial public-health and labour-protection offices
TMD local/regional station
School, market, water and electricity service operators
Locally identified worker/community representatives

Caveat: Proposed coordination roles are not claims of accepted membership or delegated heat authority. Thai government 2026 seasonal heat communication (no longer online)

Warnings: National reference: country.warning_systems Local trigger: Bangkok publishes Heat Index bands; elsewhere city-specific validated action threshold not verified. Reach: Offline, migrant-language, disability and isolated-person reach require testing.

Rules for heat at work: Reference: country.occupational_heat_rules Local inspection and paid rest: Not verified; national law not a guarantee of universal local coverage.

Cooling and buildings: Reference: country.cooling_and_building_policy Local specific rule: Not verified; check local building control and property class. Suitability: Shade/solar-gain reduction and active cooling need local assessment; avoid prescribing evaporation in humid exposure without field appraisal.

Money for protection: Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Local heat budget: Not verified Reference: country.finance_mechanisms; BMA-specific powers cannot safely be transferred to other municipalities.

Gaps in what we found:

Adopted local plan, budget execution, monitoring, delivered reach and independent health/income effects not fully established.

A place to start (proposed): Assess occupied-room night conditions, schools/clinics and maintainable low-water shade/roof options.

Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: TMD lists a Mueang Lampang record in May 2024; the national Thoen extreme is deliberately not assigned to the city. Inferred: Assess occupied-room night conditions, schools/clinics and maintainable low-water shade/roof options. Uncertain: Local climate/health exposure, authority, costs, reach and outcome effectiveness.

Boundary: City/Mueang district; not Thoen district elsewhere in Lampang province

Selection status: Documented heat-concern case; national most-exposed ranking not verified.

Selection basis: Official guidance or data TMD lists a Mueang Lampang record in May 2024; the national Thoen extreme is deliberately not assigned to the city. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) · Thai government 2026 seasonal heat communication (no longer online)

Tradeoffs to assess:

Peak load, bills, outages and critical-service fallback
Refrigerant safety and servicing, water demand and maintenance
Tenure/rent displacement, gendered care and household affordability
Worker pay, disability access, language and migrant inclusion
Actual people-level heat exposure rather than surface-temperature proxy

Mae Sot

Heat context: Climate: Inland monsoonal setting; dry-season solar exposure and humid periods require separate assessment. Basis: Contextual researcher interpretation, not a measured citywide humidity series. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) Night heat: Comparable city-specific occupied-room/night series not verified; national hot-night trend is not a city measurement.

Official heat plans: Official guidance or data Adopted municipal HAP, validated local health trigger and funded service protocol not retrieved. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Agencies responsible: Proposed counterparts:

Municipal planning, public health and building authorities
Provincial public-health and labour-protection offices
TMD local/regional station
School, market, water and electricity service operators
Locally identified worker/community representatives

Caveat: Proposed coordination roles are not claims of accepted membership or delegated heat authority. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024

Warnings: National reference: country.warning_systems Local trigger: Bangkok publishes Heat Index bands; elsewhere city-specific validated action threshold not verified. Reach: Offline, migrant-language, disability and isolated-person reach require testing.

Rules for heat at work: Reference: country.occupational_heat_rules Local inspection and paid rest: Not verified; national law not a guarantee of universal local coverage.

Cooling and buildings: Reference: country.cooling_and_building_policy Local specific rule: Not verified; check local building control and property class. Suitability: Shade/solar-gain reduction and active cooling need local assessment; avoid prescribing evaporation in humid exposure without field appraisal.

Money for protection: Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Local heat budget: Not verified Reference: country.finance_mechanisms; BMA-specific powers cannot safely be transferred to other municipalities.

Gaps in what we found:

Adopted local plan, budget execution, monitoring, delivered reach and independent health/income effects not fully established.

A place to start (proposed): Investigate multilingual worker communication and exposure/income barriers with locally identified worker representatives.

Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: TMD lists a Mae Sot station hot-month record; not a nationally ranked city exposure estimate. Inferred: Investigate multilingual worker communication and exposure/income barriers with locally identified worker representatives. Uncertain: Local climate/health exposure, authority, costs, reach and outcome effectiveness.

Boundary: Municipality and Mae Sot district in Tak; not Tak city or whole province

Selection status: Documented heat-concern case; national most-exposed ranking not verified.

Selection basis: Official guidance or data TMD lists a Mae Sot station hot-month record; not a nationally ranked city exposure estimate. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Tradeoffs to assess:

Peak load, bills, outages and critical-service fallback
Refrigerant safety and servicing, water demand and maintenance
Tenure/rent displacement, gendered care and household affordability
Worker pay, disability access, language and migrant inclusion
Actual people-level heat exposure rather than surface-temperature proxy

Khon Kaen

Heat context: Climate: Northeastern inland heat; seasonal dryness and humidity vary. Basis: Contextual researcher interpretation, not a measured citywide humidity series. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) Night heat: Comparable city-specific occupied-room/night series not verified; national hot-night trend is not a city measurement.

Official heat plans: Official guidance or data Adopted municipal HAP and specific city operating budget not retrieved. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Agencies responsible: Proposed counterparts:

Municipal planning, public health and building authorities
Provincial public-health and labour-protection offices
TMD local/regional station
School, market, water and electricity service operators
Locally identified worker/community representatives

Caveat: Proposed coordination roles are not claims of accepted membership or delegated heat authority. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024

Warnings: National reference: country.warning_systems Local trigger: Bangkok publishes Heat Index bands; elsewhere city-specific validated action threshold not verified. Reach: Offline, migrant-language, disability and isolated-person reach require testing.

Rules for heat at work: Reference: country.occupational_heat_rules Local inspection and paid rest: Not verified; national law not a guarantee of universal local coverage.

Cooling and buildings: Reference: country.cooling_and_building_policy Local specific rule: Not verified; check local building control and property class. Suitability: Shade/solar-gain reduction and active cooling need local assessment; avoid prescribing evaporation in humid exposure without field appraisal.

Money for protection: Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Local heat budget: Not verified Reference: country.finance_mechanisms; BMA-specific powers cannot safely be transferred to other municipalities.

Gaps in what we found:

Adopted local plan, budget execution, monitoring, delivered reach and independent health/income effects not fully established.

A place to start (proposed): Test market/workplace rest-shade-water access and connect health warnings to clinics and service owners.

Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: TMD2024 table documents a Mueang station hot-season record. Inferred: Test market/workplace rest-shade-water access and connect health warnings to clinics and service owners. Uncertain: Local climate/health exposure, authority, costs, reach and outcome effectiveness.

Boundary: Municipality/Mueang district; Tha Phra agricultural station not interchangeable with town

Selection status: Documented heat-concern case; national most-exposed ranking not verified.

Selection basis: Official guidance or data TMD2024 table documents a Mueang station hot-season record. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Tradeoffs to assess:

Peak load, bills, outages and critical-service fallback
Refrigerant safety and servicing, water demand and maintenance
Tenure/rent displacement, gendered care and household affordability
Worker pay, disability access, language and migrant inclusion
Actual people-level heat exposure rather than surface-temperature proxy

Ubon Ratchathani

Heat context: Climate: Northeastern monsoonal heat; water constraints and humid episodes require local checks. Basis: Contextual researcher interpretation, not a measured citywide humidity series. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) Night heat: Comparable city-specific occupied-room/night series not verified; national hot-night trend is not a city measurement.

Official heat plans: Official guidance or data Adopted municipal HAP, automatic cash trigger and ring-fenced heat budget not verified. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Agencies responsible: Proposed counterparts:

Municipal planning, public health and building authorities
Provincial public-health and labour-protection offices
TMD local/regional station
School, market, water and electricity service operators
Locally identified worker/community representatives

Caveat: Proposed coordination roles are not claims of accepted membership or delegated heat authority. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024

Warnings: National reference: country.warning_systems Local trigger: Bangkok publishes Heat Index bands; elsewhere city-specific validated action threshold not verified. Reach: Offline, migrant-language, disability and isolated-person reach require testing.

Rules for heat at work: Reference: country.occupational_heat_rules Local inspection and paid rest: Not verified; national law not a guarantee of universal local coverage.

Cooling and buildings: Reference: country.cooling_and_building_policy Local specific rule: Not verified; check local building control and property class. Suitability: Shade/solar-gain reduction and active cooling need local assessment; avoid prescribing evaporation in humid exposure without field appraisal.

Money for protection: Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Local heat budget: Not verified Reference: country.finance_mechanisms; BMA-specific powers cannot safely be transferred to other municipalities.

Gaps in what we found:

Adopted local plan, budget execution, monitoring, delivered reach and independent health/income effects not fully established.

A place to start (proposed): Develop costed market, school and clinic protection with local health/planning teams; assess livelihood continuity.

Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: TMD documents Mueang hot-season record; adjacent-district observations not assigned to city. Inferred: Develop costed market, school and clinic protection with local health/planning teams; assess livelihood continuity. Uncertain: Local climate/health exposure, authority, costs, reach and outcome effectiveness.

Boundary: Municipality/Mueang district; Warin Chamrap station treated separately

Selection status: Documented heat-concern case; national most-exposed ranking not verified.

Selection basis: Official guidance or data TMD documents Mueang hot-season record; adjacent-district observations not assigned to city. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Tradeoffs to assess:

Peak load, bills, outages and critical-service fallback
Refrigerant safety and servicing, water demand and maintenance
Tenure/rent displacement, gendered care and household affordability
Worker pay, disability access, language and migrant inclusion
Actual people-level heat exposure rather than surface-temperature proxy

Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat)

Heat context: Climate: Inland plateau/monsoonal context; local humidity, water and work exposure need measurement. Basis: Contextual researcher interpretation, not a measured citywide humidity series. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) Night heat: Comparable city-specific occupied-room/night series not verified; national hot-night trend is not a city measurement.

Official heat plans: Official guidance or data Adopted municipal HAP and local heat-specific building mandate not retrieved. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Agencies responsible: Proposed counterparts:

Municipal planning, public health and building authorities
Provincial public-health and labour-protection offices
TMD local/regional station
School, market, water and electricity service operators
Locally identified worker/community representatives

Caveat: Proposed coordination roles are not claims of accepted membership or delegated heat authority. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024

Warnings: National reference: country.warning_systems Local trigger: Bangkok publishes Heat Index bands; elsewhere city-specific validated action threshold not verified. Reach: Offline, migrant-language, disability and isolated-person reach require testing.

Rules for heat at work: Reference: country.occupational_heat_rules Local inspection and paid rest: Not verified; national law not a guarantee of universal local coverage.

Cooling and buildings: Reference: country.cooling_and_building_policy Local specific rule: Not verified; check local building control and property class. Suitability: Shade/solar-gain reduction and active cooling need local assessment; avoid prescribing evaporation in humid exposure without field appraisal.

Money for protection: Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Local heat budget: Not verified Reference: country.finance_mechanisms; BMA-specific powers cannot safely be transferred to other municipalities.

Gaps in what we found:

Adopted local plan, budget execution, monitoring, delivered reach and independent health/income effects not fully established.

A place to start (proposed): Prepare workplace/public-building retrofit and recovery packages, with monitoring and operating budgets.

Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: TMD documents Mueang hot-season record; provincial readings not treated as uniform city exposure. Inferred: Prepare workplace/public-building retrofit and recovery packages, with monitoring and operating budgets. Uncertain: Local climate/health exposure, authority, costs, reach and outcome effectiveness.

Boundary: Municipality/Mueang district; Pak Chong and Chok Chai are separate locations

Selection status: Documented heat-concern case; national most-exposed ranking not verified.

Selection basis: Official guidance or data TMD documents Mueang hot-season record; provincial readings not treated as uniform city exposure. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Tradeoffs to assess:

Peak load, bills, outages and critical-service fallback
Refrigerant safety and servicing, water demand and maintenance
Tenure/rent displacement, gendered care and household affordability
Worker pay, disability access, language and migrant inclusion
Actual people-level heat exposure rather than surface-temperature proxy

Hat Yai

Heat context: Climate: Southern humid setting; useful comparator to inland hot-dry-season conditions. Basis: Contextual researcher interpretation, not a measured citywide humidity series. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab) Night heat: Comparable city-specific occupied-room/night series not verified; national hot-night trend is not a city measurement.

Official heat plans: Official guidance or data Adopted municipal HAP or verified cooled-refuge network not retrieved. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Agencies responsible: Proposed counterparts:

Municipal planning, public health and building authorities
Provincial public-health and labour-protection offices
TMD local/regional station
School, market, water and electricity service operators
Locally identified worker/community representatives

Caveat: Proposed coordination roles are not claims of accepted membership or delegated heat authority. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024

Warnings: National reference: country.warning_systems Local trigger: Bangkok publishes Heat Index bands; elsewhere city-specific validated action threshold not verified. Reach: Offline, migrant-language, disability and isolated-person reach require testing.

Rules for heat at work: Reference: country.occupational_heat_rules Local inspection and paid rest: Not verified; national law not a guarantee of universal local coverage.

Cooling and buildings: Reference: country.cooling_and_building_policy Local specific rule: Not verified; check local building control and property class. Suitability: Shade/solar-gain reduction and active cooling need local assessment; avoid prescribing evaporation in humid exposure without field appraisal.

Money for protection: Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Local heat budget: Not verified Reference: country.finance_mechanisms; BMA-specific powers cannot safely be transferred to other municipalities.

Gaps in what we found:

Adopted local plan, budget execution, monitoring, delivered reach and independent health/income effects not fully established.

A place to start (proposed): Assess humidity-appropriate cooling and heat/flood service continuity, with accessibility and outage checks.

Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: TMD records a Hat Yai hot-season extreme; included for humid-heat context, not claimed a top-eight national rank. Inferred: Assess humidity-appropriate cooling and heat/flood service continuity, with accessibility and outage checks. Uncertain: Local climate/health exposure, authority, costs, reach and outcome effectiveness.

Boundary: Municipality/district in Songkhla; not Songkhla city or entire province

Selection status: Documented heat-concern case; national most-exposed ranking not verified.

Selection basis: Official guidance or data TMD records a Hat Yai hot-season extreme; included for humid-heat context, not claimed a top-eight national rank. TMD Thailand annual climate summary 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Tradeoffs to assess:

Peak load, bills, outages and critical-service fallback
Refrigerant safety and servicing, water demand and maintenance
Tenure/rent displacement, gendered care and household affordability
Worker pay, disability access, language and migrant inclusion
Actual people-level heat exposure rather than surface-temperature proxy

Programmes

Official guidance or data DOH/TMD Heat-Health Surveillance and Warning Systems Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Connects meteorological information with health recommendations. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: Local offline reach, automatic finance triggers and actual action completion not established. Implementation stage: National integration and 2025 Heat Index shift documented. WHO Thailand climate-and-health country profile (opens in a new tab) Description: Connects meteorological information with health recommendations. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: Local offline reach, automatic finance triggers and actual action completion not established.
Reported, not evaluated BKK Cooling Centers / Cooling Spots Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Uses public buildings and public-space cooling/water services. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: Number announced is not audited usage, opening hours, accessibility or outcome. Zero incremental energy not verified. Implementation stage: Government reports seasonal provision in 2026. Government account of Bangkok cooling centres (opens in a new tab) Description: Uses public buildings and public-space cooling/water services. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: Number announced is not audited usage, opening hours, accessibility or outcome. Zero incremental energy not verified.
Design concept Bangkok integrated evidence-based HHAP and implementation roadmap Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Planned risk mapping, targeted interventions and institutional procedures. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: No final adopted document or completed pilot results verified; design label does not negate preparatory meetings. Implementation stage: Development announced September 2026; pilots proposed. AIT/Vital Strategies/BMA heat-health-plan development (opens in a new tab) Description: Planned risk mapping, targeted interventions and institutional procedures. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: No final adopted document or completed pilot results verified; design label does not negate preparatory meetings.
Official guidance or data Bangkok heat-financing strategy Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Matches adaptation projects with public/grant/concessional/private capital as appropriate. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: Strategy is not proof of funded project, issued heat bond or open NGO grant. Implementation stage: Published October 2026; routes and roadmap assessed. Bangkok heat-financing strategy (opens in a new tab) · Bangkok heat-financing strategy - full report (opens in a new tab) Description: Matches adaptation projects with public/grant/concessional/private capital as appropriate. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: Strategy is not proof of funded project, issued heat bond or open NGO grant.
Measured in a study HomeNet Thailand/WIEGO informal-worker heat research Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Documents home-based worker and vendor experiences of heat, work, care and infrastructure. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: Self-reported/recall outcomes, not causal evaluation of protection or representative national prevalence. Implementation stage: Bangkok survey/qualitative research 2025; brief publishedOctober 2025. HomeNet Thailand/WIEGO Bangkok heat study (opens in a new tab) · HomeNet Thailand/WIEGO policy brief33 PDF (opens in a new tab) Description: Documents home-based worker and vendor experiences of heat, work, care and infrastructure. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: Self-reported/recall outcomes, not causal evaluation of protection or representative national prevalence.
Reported, not evaluated Working under heat - Bangkok worker education Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Practical worker-facing communication and organising resource. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: Update historic legal references and independently appraise advice; no universal fan threshold reproduced. Implementation stage: Resource published 2025. Worker-facing Bangkok heat guide (opens in a new tab) Description: Practical worker-facing communication and organising resource. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: Update historic legal references and independently appraise advice; no universal fan threshold reproduced.
Reported, not evaluated Thailand RAC NAMA / RAC NAMA Fund Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Revolving/sub-grant/technical mechanisms for efficient natural-refrigerant cooling. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: Historical mechanism, not current funding call; technical/financial outputs are not heat-health impact. Implementation stage: Historical phase endedJuly 2021. RAC NAMA Thailand project history (opens in a new tab) · RAC NAMA fund mechanism factsheet (opens in a new tab) Description: Revolving/sub-grant/technical mechanisms for efficient natural-refrigerant cooling. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: Historical mechanism, not current funding call; technical/financial outputs are not heat-health impact.
Reported, not evaluated EGAT Cooling Innovation Fund Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Training, demonstration, testing and cooling innovation support. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: Do not present historical announcement as current open opportunity. Implementation stage: Successor arrangement describedAugust 2022;2026 operation/access not verified. Cooling Innovation Fund successor account (opens in a new tab) Description: Training, demonstration, testing and cooling innovation support. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: Do not present historical announcement as current open opportunity.
Official guidance or data EGAT Label No.5 Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Equipment efficiency-information route for consumers and procurers. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: Label alone does not establish affordable access, clinical protection or appropriate refrigerant. Implementation stage: Updated label introducedJanuary 2024; current consumer site available. EGAT Label No.5 label update (no longer online) · EGAT current consumer and certified-product route (opens in a new tab) Description: Equipment efficiency-information route for consumers and procurers. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: Label alone does not establish affordable access, clinical protection or appropriate refrigerant.
Measured in a study Shaping a Cooler Bangkok Costs: Currency: THB Note: No transferable local installed package quotation verified. Missing is not zero; fund budgets and foregone wages are not intervention unit costs. Known, inferred, uncertain: Known: Urban-heat analysis to inform city action. Inferred: Could inform practical shared protection. Uncertain: Future health/wage effects are modelled, not observed intervention benefits; full report size blocked retrieval. Implementation stage: Original assessment summary published 2025. World Bank Shaping a Cooler Bangkok (opens in a new tab) Description: Urban-heat analysis to inform city action. Health or income effect: No independently evaluated causal programme effect verified in this snapshot. Limits: Future health/wage effects are modelled, not observed intervention benefits; full report size blocked retrieval.

Who is working on it

Listing does not imply partnership, endorsement or ranking.

Arçelik Hitachi Home Appliances Sales (Thailand) Ltd. (opens in a new tab) Markets AC models locally; vendor catalogue with declared label ratings.
Asian Development Bank (opens in a new tab) Published 2026 Thailand heat-policy roadmap; a publication is not a financing commitment.
Asian Institute of Technology (opens in a new tab) Technical/research partner for Bangkok HHAP.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (opens in a new tab) Urban heat response, cooling provision and plan development.
Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (opens in a new tab) Building/efficiency counterpart and historical RAC programme partner.
Department of Climate Change and Environment - Climate Change and Environmental Research Center (opens in a new tab) Author institution of 2026 hot-extreme/population-exposure research.
Department of Disease Control / Disease Control Office1 (opens in a new tab) Regional Chiang Mai heat-health communication documented.
Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health (opens in a new tab) Heat-health surveillance, risk communication and adaptation planning.
Department of Industrial Works - National Ozone Unit (opens in a new tab) UNEP lists national ozone/HFC-policy counterpart.
Department of Labour Protection and Welfare (opens in a new tab) Publishes occupational heat law and measurement framework.
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (opens in a new tab) Operates labelling and historically hosted cooling-finance mechanisms.
GIZ Proklima / Green Cooling Initiative (opens in a new tab) Implemented Thai RAC cooling transition and finance support.
HomeNet Thailand (opens in a new tab) Worker-led evidence and practical heat communication with WIEGO.
Mahidol University - occupational/public-health researchers (opens in a new tab) Thai worker-strain study author institution.
Mitigation Action Facility (formerly NAMA Facility) (opens in a new tab) Supported historical Thai cooling transformation mechanism.
Ramkhamhaeng University - regional climate/renewable energy research centre (opens in a new tab) Author affiliation for 2026 hot-extreme analysis.
Thai Meteorological Department (opens in a new tab) Official observations and heat-information inputs.
UNDP Thailand (opens in a new tab) Co-developed Bangkok heat-financing strategy with BMA.
University of Phayao - atmospheric pollution and climate research (opens in a new tab) Author affiliation for hot-extreme research.
Vital Strategies / Partnership for Healthy Cities (opens in a new tab) Supports Bangkok evidence-based heat-health planning.
WHO Thailand (opens in a new tab) Country-profile and national heat-health planning support documented.
Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) (opens in a new tab) Bangkok informal-worker research and education resources.
World Bank - Thailand urban-heat research (opens in a new tab) Published Bangkok urban-heat assessment; no specific heat grant or finance eligibility inferred.