BOT teams up with DCCE, TAT and banks to support sustainable hotels

The Bank of Thailand (BOT), in collaboration with the Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE), the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and nine commercial banks, launched the Financing the Transition: Green Solutions for Hotels programme on Tuesday (April 21) at the Pearl Phuket Hotel in Phuket province.

The programme brings together government agencies, financial institutions and the private sector to help Thai hotel businesses make a practical transition towards environmental sustainability, while raising the country’s tourism ecosystem to international standards.

The initiative builds on the success of the Financing the Transition programme launched in 2024, a collaboration between the BOT and commercial banks to develop financial products that support business adaptation, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises.

As of the end of 2025, the programme had already provided more than 163 billion baht in loans to over 700 businesses across key economic sectors, including manufacturing, agro-industry and food, tourism, and hotels.

The new Financing the Transition: Green Solutions for Hotels programme expands this support to the hotel sector, which is facing growing sustainability pressure from changing consumer behaviour and overseas regulations.

The programme focuses on providing total solutions covering both financial and non-financial support. These include raising awareness, measuring greenhouse gas emissions, selecting appropriate technologies and obtaining environmental certification.

This approach reflects the view that businesses need more than access to funding alone to adapt effectively.

The programme is supported by several key partners:

• The Thai ESCO Association, which provides knowledge on technologies that can help hotel businesses adapt.
   
• TAT, which supports the use of the CF-Hotels tool to calculate carbon footprints. The data can be used to plan greenhouse gas emission reductions, support loan applications and apply for internationally recognised sustainability certification.
   
• The nine commercial banks, which have developed loan products with suitable conditions to help hotel operators make the transition.

• DCCE, which is driving Thailand’s Green Hotel Plus standard, aligned with international standards. This follows the main policy direction of Suchart Chomklin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, which focuses on sustainable natural resource management under the principles of transparency, fairness and results-driven action. The policy also aims to promote a low-carbon economy, address environmental problems through public participation, protect forests and wildlife, and accelerate efforts to tackle forest fires and air pollution. In particular, the programme supports Thai hotel operators in responding to climate change, transitioning towards a low-carbon economy and strengthening their ability to adapt to climate-related impacts on the tourism and hotel accommodation sectors.
   
• The International Finance Corporation (IFC), which certifies the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) standard for internationally recognised green buildings.