The paper discusses the institutional reforms for rural electrification (RE) in
Thailand and Bangladesh and analyses the impacts of private sector
participation in electricity generation and tariff reforms on the poor in
Thailand. RE program in Thailand, initiated in 1977, increased electricity
access by rural households from 7% in early 70s to 97% by 2000. In
Bangladesh the RE program, initiated in 1977 when electricity access by
rural households was almost negligible, could increase the access to only
19% of rural households by 2000. Financial resources for investment,
electricity generation capacity and economic growth were identified as key
factors affecting the achievements of the RE programs in the two countries.
In Thailand electrification level and average household electricity
consumption were found not affected by private sector participation in
electricity generation and tariff reforms during the 1990s.