Lam Takhong Wind Farm: Thailand’s First Large-Scale Wind Energy Project
Lam Takhong Wind Farm: Thailand’s First Large-Scale Wind Energy Project
Above: Drone footage of the Lam Takhong turbines by Wander Wave (July 2025). The video captures the scale and landscape setting that words can’t quite replicate.
What Is Lam Takhong Wind Farm?
Lam Takhong Wind Farm is Thailand’s first utility-scale wind energy project, sitting atop Khao Yai Thiang mountain ridge in Sikhio District, Nakhon Ratchasima. Built and operated entirely by EGAT (the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand), it’s the only wind farm in the country owned 100% by a state enterprise. That distinction matters: it was built not for commercial returns alone, but to demonstrate that wind power could work at scale in Thailand’s northeastern landscape.
The site was chosen because Khao Yai Thiang delivers average wind speeds of around 6.14 m/s — just above the threshold EGAT requires for viable wind installation at elevated terrain. The ridgeline also sits adjacent to the Lam Takhong Cholapawattana pumped-storage hydro plant, which meant grid infrastructure was already in place. That proximity made Phase 1 relatively straightforward to connect.
Today the site encompasses two generations of turbine technology installed a decade apart, an EGAT Learning Center with VR exhibits, and a wind-hydrogen hybrid demonstration unit that has no equal in Southeast Asia. Drone operators and cycling enthusiasts have turned the mountain road leading to the turbines into a popular weekend destination.
Technical Specifications: Two Phases, Two Technologies
Lam Takhong was built in two distinct phases, using different turbine manufacturers. The contrast between Phase 1 and Phase 2 illustrates how rapidly wind turbine technology scaled in the decade between them.
| Detail | Phase 1 (2009) | Phase 2 (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Turbines | 2 units | 12 units |
| Turbine model | Shanghai Electric W1250/64 | GE Vernova 2.0-116 |
| Capacity per turbine | 1.25 MW | 2.0 MW |
| Phase capacity | 2.5 MW | 24.0 MW |
| Rotor diameter | 64.3 m | 116 m |
| Hub height | Not specified | 94 m |
| Commissioned | March 16, 2009 | April 2018 |
Combined, the farm totals 26.5 MW across 14 turbines, according to Global Energy Monitor. The Phase 2 GE Vernova machines are the ones visible in most footage and drone shots — at 94 metres to the hub and 116 metres of rotor sweep, they’re genuinely imposing at close range. The Phase 1 Shanghai Electric units are smaller but were pioneering in the Thai context.
How Much Power Does Lam Takhong Generate?
After Phase 2 came online in 2018, generation ramped quickly. According to T&D World, citing EGAT data, the farm produced 45.11 GWh in 2018, 67.72 GWh in 2019, and peaked at 71.14 GWh in 2020. The capacity factor across that period averaged around 31.97% — solid for a relatively modest average wind speed of 6 m/s.
That generation represents real emissions displacement. Between January 2018 and October 2021, Lam Takhong avoided 132,996 metric tonnes of CO2 from Thailand’s grid — equivalent to taking roughly 28,000 passenger cars off the road for a year. Phase 1’s two original turbines generate approximately 4.60 million kWh annually on their own, a figure that seems modest until you remember they’ve been spinning since 2009.
Lam Takhong Annual Generation (GWh)
After Phase 2 commissioning (12 × GE Vernova 2.0-116)
2018
45.11
2019
67.72
2020
71.14
Source: T&D World / EGAT (2021)
The Wind-Hydrogen Hybrid System: A Southeast Asian First
The most technically unusual thing at Lam Takhong isn’t the turbines — it’s what happens when the wind blows harder than the grid needs. EGAT built a wind-hydrogen hybrid demonstrator here that converts surplus wind electricity into hydrogen gas through electrolysis. The stored hydrogen then powers a 300 kW fuel cell, which supplies electricity to the EGAT Learning Center building on site.
According to EGAT’s Learning Center, this system is the first and only wind-hydrogen hybrid installation in Southeast Asia. That’s a significant claim for a country that isn’t typically mentioned alongside Germany or Japan in hydrogen conversations. The scale is small — it’s a pilot system, not a commercial storage project — but the technology validation is the point. Grid stability is Thailand’s wind challenge: wind produces when it wants, not when demand peaks. Hydrogen storage offers one answer to that mismatch.
The Learning Center displays the system alongside VR exhibits and educational content about renewable energy. It’s not just a technical demonstration — it’s EGAT making the argument, in physical form, that clean energy storage belongs in Thailand’s grid planning conversation.
Visiting Lam Takhong: What to Expect
The wind farm is open to the public and free to enter, operating daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It sits about three hours from Bangkok in Sikhio District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province (postcode 30340). Most visitors arrive by car and drive up the mountain road, which offers open views of the turbine field.
The site has become a minor cycling destination — you can rent a bicycle at the base for 40 THB and pedal up toward the turbines, according to The Smart Local Thailand. The cool season (November to February) is the best time to visit: the morning mist and lower temperatures make the mountain walk comfortable, and sunset views from the ridge are, by all accounts, dramatic. There’s also a reforestation activity available for 20 THB if you want to do more than take photos.
The EGAT Learning Center Lam Takhong is a separate facility at the complex. If you’re interested in the technical side — the hydrogen system, turbine mechanics, Thailand’s energy planning — it’s worth contacting them in advance at 044-984-007 or learningcenter_ltk@egat.co.th to arrange a guided visit.
Thailand’s Wind Energy Potential — and the Gap Ahead
Thailand has roughly 1,500 MW of installed wind capacity as of 2023, according to Wind Power in Thailand compiled from IRENA data — and that figure has been essentially flat since 2019. The early burst of wind development (2017-2019 saw extraordinary growth) stalled when feed-in tariff programmes filled up and policy priority shifted.
The picture is changing. Thailand’s Power Development Plan 2024 calls for 5,345 MW of new wind capacity by 2037, and the Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP 2024) sets a broader target of 9,379 MW, according to The Nation Thailand. These are ambitious targets given the recent plateau, but Thailand’s onshore wind potential — estimated at 13-17 GW technically exploitable — means the resource is there. Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, and the southern provinces of Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkhla all carry the strongest wind resources in the country.
Lam Takhong’s legacy in that context is straightforward: it proved Thailand could do this. When Phase 1 commissioned in 2009, wind energy was experimental in the region. Fifteen years later, the AEDP is targeting more than 9,000 MW. That trajectory started on a ridge in Nakhon Ratchasima with two Chinese turbines and an EGAT engineer willing to bet on the wind.
Key Takeaways
- Thailand’s first large-scale wind farm — Lam Takhong Phase 1 commissioned in 2009, making it a pioneer in Southeast Asian wind energy.
- 26.5 MW total capacity across 14 turbines in two phases; Phase 2’s GE Vernova 2.0-116 machines stand 94m to the hub with 116m rotor diameter.
- Strong generation record — 71.14 GWh in 2020, 31.97% capacity factor, 132,996 tonnes CO2 avoided between 2018 and October 2021.
- SEA’s only wind-hydrogen hybrid — a 300 kW fuel cell demonstrator powered by electrolytic hydrogen from surplus wind electricity, housed at the EGAT Learning Center.
- Free public access daily 8am-6pm; bicycle rental available; cool season (November-February) recommended for the best visit experience.
FAQ
Who owns and operates Lam Takhong Wind Farm?
EGAT (the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand) owns and operates the site with 100% state ownership. Unlike most Thai wind farms, which are developed by private IPPs (independent power producers), Lam Takhong was built as a government initiative to demonstrate wind power viability. EGAT has operated it continuously since Phase 1 commissioned in March 2009.
How many turbines are at Lam Takhong and how big are they?
There are 14 turbines in total: 2 original Shanghai Electric units from 2009 (1.25 MW each, 64m rotor) and 12 newer GE Vernova 2.0-116 turbines from 2018 (2.0 MW each, 116m rotor, 94m hub height). The Phase 2 GE machines are the dominant visual presence on the ridgeline — their 116m rotors sweep an area larger than a football pitch.
Is Lam Takhong Wind Farm open to tourists?
Yes — the site is free to enter and open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Most visitors drive up the mountain road, but bicycles are available to rent at the base for 40 THB. The cool season (November to February) offers the most comfortable conditions. The separate EGAT Learning Center provides guided educational visits — contact 044-984-007 or learningcenter_ltk@egat.co.th to arrange a tour.
What is the wind-hydrogen hybrid system at Lam Takhong?
It’s a pilot system that converts surplus wind electricity into hydrogen gas via electrolysis, then uses that hydrogen in a 300 kW fuel cell to generate electricity for the EGAT Learning Center. EGAT describes it as the first such system in Southeast Asia. It’s a demonstrator rather than a commercial project, exploring hydrogen as a form of grid-scale energy storage for wind power’s intermittency problem.
How does Lam Takhong fit into Thailand’s wind energy plans?
Thailand’s Power Development Plan 2024 targets 5,345 MW of new wind capacity by 2037 — more than three times the country’s current installed base of roughly 1,500 MW. Lam Takhong, at 26.5 MW, is small in that context. But its significance is historical: it was the site where EGAT proved utility-scale wind power was viable in Thailand’s northeastern terrain, opening the door to the commercial wind boom that followed in the mid-2010s.
Why is Nakhon Ratchasima a good location for wind energy?
The Korat Plateau and its surrounding mountain ridges — including Khao Yai Thiang where Lam Takhong sits — deliver the northeast’s most consistent winds. Average speeds around 6 m/s at hub height meet EGAT’s minimum threshold for viable wind investment in elevated terrain. The region’s distance from Bangkok also means long transmission lines would otherwise serve it, making local generation strategically efficient. EGAT has operated wind research at this site for over 15 years, validating the resource quality.