Thailand Advances First National SAF Standard as Aviation Sector Prepares Supply-Chain Take-off
Bangkok readies sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) specification this month, enforcement set for early next year with a target of up to 8 % blend by 2036.
Thailand’s government is poised to issue the country’s first national standard for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) within the month, paving the way for enforcement in the early part of next year.
Once introduced, the standard will launch at an initial blending rate of around one percent of jet fuel and rise towards an eight-percent blend by 2036.
The initiative forms part of Thailand’s broader strategy to decarbonise the aviation sector and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The country’s leading bio-fuel producers have been preparing for this advance: Bangchak Corporation inaugurated a facility in April capable of producing “neat” (100 percent) SAF, initially at a capacity of up to one million litres per day.
Meanwhile, PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) produced its first SAF batch in January using used cooking oil and plans to scale to 24 million litres annually.
The industrial approach includes building a comprehensive supply chain—from feedstock collection (used cooking oil, algae, ethanol derived from sugar and cassava) through refining, certification and distribution.
Bangchak and other firms have signed agreements with local governments and food & beverage companies to gather used cooking oil as feedstock, and are exploring algae-based derivatives via subsidiaries such as BBGI (Bio-Based Green Innovation).
On the policy front, authorities have aligned the proposed standard with global benchmarks such as the ASTM D7566 specification, enabling SAF to be used safely as a drop-in fuel with existing aircraft and infrastructure.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is expected to require an initial one-percent SAF blend by 2026, escalating gradually.
The standard will support Thailand’s Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP 2024), which targets consumption of 675 million litres of SAF by 2037, equivalent to about 1.85 million litres per day of neat fuel.
Government agencies are also working on fiscal and regulatory mechanisms to incentivise SAF production and adoption.
The Excise Department is defining qualifications, excise-tax levels and certification criteria for SAF, both to make it financially viable and to drive investment.
Domestic industry sources note that SAF currently costs two to three times conventional jet fuel, underscoring the need for subsidy and incentive frameworks.
Regional peers are moving in parallel: in the ASEAN region, Singapore has mandated SAF of at least one percent by 2026 and introduced a green-fuel levy for departing passengers; Malaysia delivered its first locally blended SAF in September and targets a one-percent mandate by 2027. On the global stage, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency-backed ReFuelEU Aviation regulation sets a six-percent SAF target by 2030.
Thailand’s strategic objective is to leverage domestic feedstock, strong logistics, and regional connectivity to become an aviation-hub leader in low-carbon fuel supply.
The Department of Energy Business (DOEB) director-general has stated that Thailand’s raw material base—used cooking oil, palm and other oil residues, ethanol from sugar and cassava—positions it well to build a regional SAF supply chain.
The next phase will focus on scaling production, ensuring certification, and making SAF commercially competitive.
With the standard’s imminent release, industry attention now turns to implementation: how quickly airlines will adapt fuel sourcing, how many refiners will reach commercial-scale output, and how incentive structures will support broader adoption.
Thailand’s move to institutionalise SAF standards marks a significant step in aligning aviation fuel policy with global sustainability goals and securing the country’s competitive standing in Asia’s decarbonising skies.
Once introduced, the standard will launch at an initial blending rate of around one percent of jet fuel and rise towards an eight-percent blend by 2036.
The initiative forms part of Thailand’s broader strategy to decarbonise the aviation sector and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The country’s leading bio-fuel producers have been preparing for this advance: Bangchak Corporation inaugurated a facility in April capable of producing “neat” (100 percent) SAF, initially at a capacity of up to one million litres per day.
Meanwhile, PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) produced its first SAF batch in January using used cooking oil and plans to scale to 24 million litres annually.
The industrial approach includes building a comprehensive supply chain—from feedstock collection (used cooking oil, algae, ethanol derived from sugar and cassava) through refining, certification and distribution.
Bangchak and other firms have signed agreements with local governments and food & beverage companies to gather used cooking oil as feedstock, and are exploring algae-based derivatives via subsidiaries such as BBGI (Bio-Based Green Innovation).
On the policy front, authorities have aligned the proposed standard with global benchmarks such as the ASTM D7566 specification, enabling SAF to be used safely as a drop-in fuel with existing aircraft and infrastructure.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) is expected to require an initial one-percent SAF blend by 2026, escalating gradually.
The standard will support Thailand’s Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP 2024), which targets consumption of 675 million litres of SAF by 2037, equivalent to about 1.85 million litres per day of neat fuel.
Government agencies are also working on fiscal and regulatory mechanisms to incentivise SAF production and adoption.
The Excise Department is defining qualifications, excise-tax levels and certification criteria for SAF, both to make it financially viable and to drive investment.
Domestic industry sources note that SAF currently costs two to three times conventional jet fuel, underscoring the need for subsidy and incentive frameworks.
Regional peers are moving in parallel: in the ASEAN region, Singapore has mandated SAF of at least one percent by 2026 and introduced a green-fuel levy for departing passengers; Malaysia delivered its first locally blended SAF in September and targets a one-percent mandate by 2027. On the global stage, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency-backed ReFuelEU Aviation regulation sets a six-percent SAF target by 2030.
Thailand’s strategic objective is to leverage domestic feedstock, strong logistics, and regional connectivity to become an aviation-hub leader in low-carbon fuel supply.
The Department of Energy Business (DOEB) director-general has stated that Thailand’s raw material base—used cooking oil, palm and other oil residues, ethanol from sugar and cassava—positions it well to build a regional SAF supply chain.
The next phase will focus on scaling production, ensuring certification, and making SAF commercially competitive.
With the standard’s imminent release, industry attention now turns to implementation: how quickly airlines will adapt fuel sourcing, how many refiners will reach commercial-scale output, and how incentive structures will support broader adoption.
Thailand’s move to institutionalise SAF standards marks a significant step in aligning aviation fuel policy with global sustainability goals and securing the country’s competitive standing in Asia’s decarbonising skies.
