This paper uses life cycle assessment to evaluate the potential of rice straw power plant implementation in Thailand in terms of GHG emission savings from avoided open burning and from implementing rice straw power production, which can substitute that from natural gas. Annually, 8.5-14.3 Mt rice straw burning contributes 5.0-8.6 MtCO(2)-eq which could be converted to 786-1325 MW of power, yielding a total greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of 7.8-13.2 MtCO(2)-eq. Moreover, 1090-1837 Mm(3) of natural gas could be substituted annually. A total of 25 provinces in central Thailand have potential to generate electricity with a total capacity of 210-292 MW (plant efficiency 20-27%), resulting in an annual GHG emission savings of 2.3-2.6 MtCO(2)-eq, and with a provincial capacity of over 20 MW in 6 provinces, 10-20 MW in 7 provinces, 1-10 MW in 6 provinces and less than 1 MW in 6 provinces. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.