Thai government to replace non-air conditioned buses with electric vehicle (EV) buses under private contractors

Bangkok –

  Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O’Cha today, April 5th, ordered the reform of public buses under the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) by hiring Electric Vehicle (EV) buses from private contractors and reducing non-air-conditioned buses.

Government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana revealed that the Prime Minister had closely followed up on the process of the progress of the clean-energy buses procurement project. According to the report from the Transport Ministry, the EVs public bus services could be provided by August 2022 following the BMTA’s new rehabilitation plan.

The BMTA had initially a short-term action plan to hire private contractors to operate clean-energy buses service with the main purpose of replacing old and dilapidated vehicles, reducing PM2.5 dust pollution, and facilitating the convenience of public travel.

The government would also raise its standard of providing bus care and services to meet the needs of the people and encourage people to use public buses. Thanakorn continued that all of the new buses must have GPS, CCTV cameras, and an E-Ticket system installed for passenger safety.

The spokesperson said: “The technology should be assisted to monitor how many passengers use the service. Whether it was too crowded or too vacant, this data would be processed and analyzed by AI systems in order to solve problems and improve service quickly and accurately.”

“The government had a crucial policy that all people needed to access public convenient services with interconnected routes and affordable fares. We’d also come up with promotions such as a one-day single ticket with unlimited rides and routes. The government also wanted to make these private buses accessible for low-income earners, so we planned to give free rides or discounts for those who held welfare cards, just like how they worked with BMTA buses.” Thanakorn concluded.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=–=–=–=–==-

Need Covid-19 insurance for your next trip to Thailand? Click here.

Follow us on Facebook

Join us on LINE for breaking alerts!

 

Subscribe
Nop Meechukhun
National News Writer at The Pattaya News from September 2020 to October 2022. Born and raised in Bangkok, Nop enjoys telling stories of her hometown through her words and pictures. Her educational experience in the United States and her passion for journalism have shaped her genuine interests in society, politics, education, culture, and art.