Input substitution in Thailand's manufacturing sector: Implications for energy policy

Input demand and substitution elasticities for five manufacturing sector industries in Thailand are estimated using a three-factor (capital, labour and energy) translog cost function covering the first oil-shock period 1974–1977. In all cases the demand is elastic for energy, close to unity for labour, and inelastic for capital. Capital and energy are always substitutes as are capital and labour. The labour-intensive and comparative- advantage-based industries showed greater responsiveness to energy price changes relative to the capital-intensive and protected industries in the sense that the former two can substitute capital and labour for energy whereas the latter two can substitute only capital.