The state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) is teaming up with Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Tint) to conduct a prototype machine for a nuclear power generator from a fusion reaction.
The prototype machine is a tokamak, with an estimated development cost of 500 million baht. Egat will provide a budget of 230 million baht for the R&D activity.
Patana Sangsriroujana, Egat's deputy governor of strategy, said the tokamak machine is expected to be finished in five years. Both agencies want to complete the first step of plasma technology before testing further development of nuclear fusion technology in coming years.
Testing will be conducted in parallel with the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject that is the world's largest magnetic confinement plasma physics experiment.
ITER's experimental tokamak facility is in Provence, France and is a collaboration of six countries and one region: China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the US and EU.
Nuclear fusion is a reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei are combined to form one or more different atomic nuclei and subatomic particles -- neutrons or protons.
Nuclear fusion technology has been adopted in many countries to develop alternative power generation without emissions and radioactive residue.
A fundamental element of plasma technology is hydrogen from water.
Mr Patana said the tokamak experiment in Thailand would take several decades before reaching commercial scale or mass requirements.
Before solar panels gained traction in recent years, the compatibility of this renewable energy had been questioned in the 1970s.
In Thailand, energy policymakers talked about nuclear power plants for several years, but were preoccupied with accidents and leakage. Nuclear power has never been included in the national power development plan.
Nuclear power plants using the new technology are sold on the promise of a low probability of leakage or accidents.
Pornthep Nisamaneephong, executive director of Tint, said the agency expects to gain new benefits from the plasma test and nuclear fusion technology if it is adopted in the country's power and medical sectors.
"Plasma tests could heal human skin and wounds, leading to faster recovery than normal treatment," he said.
Moreover, it could eradicate pesticides, germs and bugs that contaminate food products."