BANGKOK, Aug 21 (TNA) — The Marine Department and Energy Absolute PCL have introduced the first electric passenger boat in the Chao Phraya River.
In the “Modern Phenomenon of Mass Transit” event, Marine Department director-general Withaya Yamuang said his department was cooperating with the private sector to introduce electric passenger boats and expected such vessels would be actively operated from next year on.
The department set the standard of electric passenger boats and gave advice on their commercial services to interested operators.
The electric passenger boat introduced today was a prototype and the operator would produce ten more of the model. They would be operated on extended routes of the Chao Phraya Express Boat service and also serve tourists in rivers, Mr Withaya said.
Amorn Sapthaweekul, deputy chief executive officer of Energy Absolute PCL, said the MINE Smart Ferry was the most advanced electric passenger boat and was already registered as the first electric boat of Thailand. The company invested 1 billion baht in its electric boat production project.
He said the company was also producing electric buses and the batteries of its boats and buses could be fully recharged within 15-20 minutes thanks to its technology.
His company produced its own batteries and already started the tentative operation of its electric bus late last year. It planned to start commercial production of electric buses early next year, Mr Amorn said.
The electric boat and bus projects would help save energy, limit fares and improve the environment and the quality of life, he said. (TNA)
