New Thai Digital Service Boosts Loan Access with Utility Data

 

A groundbreaking digital service has been launched in Thailand today, 30 June 2025, allowing citizens to use their electricity and water payment histories to strengthen loan applications.

 

This initiative, a collaboration between the Digital Government Development Agency (DGA), the "Tang Rath" (State Channel) application, and the Bank of Thailand (BOT), aims to broaden access to legal credit, particularly for individuals without a regular income.

 

The DGA has partnered with the "Tang Rath" app and key utility providers – the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA), and Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) – to roll out this innovative service.

 

Through the "Tang Rath" app, users can now request their water and electricity consumption and payment history free of charge.

 

This official digital document, certified with a secure Digital Signature to prevent forgery, can then be immediately submitted as supporting documentation for loan applications with financial institutions.
 

 

This new offering is a core component of the "Your Data" project, which empowers citizens to exercise their "right to their own data" to access financial services that are more tailored to their needs.

 

The BOT, in conjunction with the DGA and the aforementioned utility bodies, formally launched the "Request for Utility Usage and Payment History" service today.

 

It enables individuals whose names are registered as utility account holders (contracting parties) to conveniently, securely, and freely obtain their own water and electricity usage and payment history via the "Tang Rath" app.

 

This digital record can then be presented to financial service providers when applying for credit, significantly increasing loan accessibility, especially for those in the freelance or informal sector.

 

Furthermore, financial service providers receiving this utility data from applicants can process the information automatically (it is machine-readable). The digital signature ensures the data's authenticity and integrity, making it verifiable against tampering.

 

This is expected to enhance efficiency and reduce overall operational costs for financial institutions providing services to the public.
 

 

 

 

What is the Utility Data Service?

It's a service allowing individuals to request their personal water and electricity consumption and payment history via the "Tang Rath" application.

 

This can then be forwarded to financial service providers as supporting documentation for various financial applications, such as loan requests.

 

The BOT expresses strong optimism that the public will benefit greatly from their utility payment histories. In the future, the hope is to extend this concept to other financial services.

 

From 30 June 2025 onwards, citizens can view and download these documents and submit them with their loan applications.

 

 

Key Benefits:

Consolidated History: Access 6 months of water and electricity history in one digital format.

Ease and Speed: Simple to request, quick to receive, and ready for immediate use.

Increased Loan Opportunities: Demonstrating disciplined payment behaviour can boost the chances of loan approval.

Benefits for Lenders: Financial institutions can automatically process the machine-readable data, which is digitally signed and verifiable against alteration, leading to improved efficiency and reduced service costs.

 

Detailed instructions for use and a list of financial service providers accepting these documents are available on the BOT website: https://www.bot.or.th/th/financial-innovation/digital-finance/open-data/Your_Data_Project/utility-data.html

 

 

Who Can Use This Service?

Any citizen who is the registered account holder for a water or electricity meter, has registered for the "Tang Rath" application, and has completed identity verification.

 

How to Use:

• Register and verify your identity on the "Tang Rath" application (follow the provided link for registration steps).
• Open the "Tang Rath" app.
• Navigate to the "Finance/Insurance" category and select "Request supporting documents for financial service applications."
• Choose the utility agency and meter for which you wish to request history.
• Review the information and click "Request Document." The document will be saved to your mobile phone.
• Submit the saved document via the channels specified by your chosen loan provider.

 

A list of financial service providers ready to accept utility usage and payment history documents from loan applicants is also available (click here for the list).