diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 55a26e5a2..910760c07 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
         'sonic_psu',
         'sonic_fan',
         'sonic_sfp',
+        'sonic_thermal',
     ],
     classifiers=[
         'Development Status :: 3 - Alpha',
diff --git a/sonic_thermal/__init__.py b/sonic_thermal/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/sonic_thermal/thermal_base.py b/sonic_thermal/thermal_base.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3867efba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sonic_thermal/thermal_base.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+#
+# thermal_base.py
+#
+# Base class for implementing platform-specific
+#  Thermal functionality for SONiC
+
+try:
+    import abc
+except ImportError as e:
+    raise ImportError (str(e) + " - required module not found")
+
+class ThermalBase(object):
+    __metaclass__ = abc.ABCMeta
+
+    def get_num_thermals(self):
+        """
+        Retrieves the number of thermal sensors supported on the device
+
+        :return: An integer, the number of thermal sensors supported on the device
+        """
+        return 0
+
+    def get_name(self, index):
+        """
+        Retrieves the human-readable name of a thermal sensor by 1-based index
+
+        Returns:
+        :param index: An integer, 1-based index of the thermal sensor of which to query status
+        :return: String,
+            A string representing the name of the thermal sensor. 
+        """
+        return ""
+
+    def get_temperature(self, index):
+        """
+        Retrieves current temperature reading from thermal sensor by 1-based index
+
+        :param index: An integer, 1-based index of the thermal sensor of which to query status
+        :return: Float,
+            A float number of current temperature in Celsius up to nearest thousandth
+            of one degree Celsius, e.g. 30.125 
+        """
+        return 0.0
+
+    def get_low_threshold(self, index):
+        """
+        Retrieves the low threshold temperature of thermal sensor by 1-based index
+        Actions should be taken if the temperature becomes lower than the low threshold.
+
+        :param index: An integer, 1-based index of the thermal sensor of which to query status
+        :return: A float number, the low threshold temperature of thermal in Celsius
+                 up to nearest thousandth of one degree Celsius, e.g. 30.125
+        """
+        return 0.0
+
+    def get_low_critical_threshold(self, index):
+        """
+        Retrieves the low critical threshold temperature of thermal by 1-based index
+        Actions should be taken immediately if the temperature becomes lower than the low critical
+        threshold otherwise the device will be damaged.
+
+        :param index: An integer, 1-based index of the thermal sensor of which to query status
+        :return: A float number, the low critical threshold temperature of thermal in Celsius
+                 up to nearest thousandth of one degree Celsius, e.g. 30.125
+        """
+        return 0.0
+
+    def get_high_threshold(self, index):
+        """
+        Retrieves the high threshold temperature of thermal by 1-based index
+        Actions should be taken if the temperature becomes higher than the threshold.
+
+        :param index: An integer, 1-based index of the thermal sensor of which to query status
+        :return: A float number, the high threshold temperature of thermal in Celsius
+                 up to nearest thousandth of one degree Celsius, e.g. 30.125
+        """
+        return 0.0
+
+    def get_high_critical_threshold(self, index):
+        """
+        Retrieves the high critical threshold temperature of thermal by 1-based index
+        Actions should be taken immediately if the temperature becomes higher than the high critical
+        threshold otherwise the device will be damaged.
+
+        :param index: An integer, 1-based index of the thermal sensor of which to query status
+        :return: A float number, the high critical threshold temperature of thermal in Celsius
+                 up to nearest thousandth of one degree Celsius, e.g. 30.125
+        """
+        return 0.0