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Deputy Transport Minister pushes EV conversion for 7 public vehicle gr

Deputy Transport Minister pushes EV conversion for 7 public vehicle gr

Prachachat•Politics•59m ago

Reader Briefing

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat proposed supporting the transition of seven public transport vehicle groups to EV to reduce oil imports and stabilize fares.

  • •Siripong Angkasakulkiat proposed converting 7 groups of public vehicles to EV, including taxis, motorcycles, and trucks.
  • •The proposal was presented during the consideration of an Emergency Decree regarding loans for energy crisis resolution and transition for the year 2026.
  • •The Ministry of Transport already has a separate budget for 1,520 BMTA buses starting in March 2027.

Overview

  • •Siripong Angkasakulkiat stated that oil costs directly impact citizens through travel expenses and product prices.
  • •Siripong Angkasakulkiat proposed supporting EV conversion for 7 groups: taxis, hired cars (RY.18), public motorcycles, tuk-tuks, regular buses, non-regular buses, student transport, and trucks.
  • •Siripong Angkasakulkiat noted that if 50% of participants join, CO2 emissions would decrease by 244,000 tons per year, and full participation would reduce oil use by 212 million liters per year.
  • •Siripong Angkasakulkiat identified specific targets, including 29,000 taxis expiring between 2026-2029 and 497,000 trucks.
  • •The Ministry of Transport has a plan and budget for 1,520 BMTA buses, with the first lot arriving around March 2027, meaning these do not require the current loan budget.
  • •Siripong Angkasakulkiat stated the EV transition will reduce costs, decrease pollution, and improve passenger safety as many current vehicles are old with outdated technology.
  • •Siripong Angkasakulkiat clarified that the project is a measure to help citizens and operators transition energy and is not a budget for roads, bridges, or contractors.

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Source: Prachachat (Original)

Key Quotes

Siripong Angkasakulkiat
"If members see the necessity of reducing dependence on imported oil, controlling fares, upgrading public transport, and solving energy problems in areas without electricity, they should support this Emergency Decree for quality of life, environment, cost of living, and the country's energy sustainability."
หากสมาชิกเห็นความจำเป็นในการลดพึ่งพาน้ำมันนำเข้า ควบคุมค่าโดยสาร ยกระดับรถขนส่งสาธารณะ และแก้ปัญหาพลังงานในพื้นที่ที่ไฟฟ้ายังเข้าไม่ถึง ควรสนับสนุน พ.ร.ก.ฉบับนี้ เพื่อคุณภาพชีวิต สิ่งแวดล้อม ค่าครองชีพ และความยั่งยืนด้านพลังงานของประเทศ

Key Entities

Person

Siripong Angkasakulkiat(สิริพงศ์ อังคสกุลเกียรติ)
Deputy Minister of Transport who proposed the EV conversion for public vehicles.

Organization

Ministry of Transport(กระทรวงคมนาคม)ℹ️
The ministry proposing the support for transitioning public transport to EV.
House of Representatives(สภาผู้แทนราษฎร)ℹ️
The assembly where Siripong Angkasakulkiat provided clarification on the project.
Ministry of Finance(กระทรวงการคลัง)ℹ️
The ministry authorized to borrow money under the Emergency Decree.
BMTA(ขสมก.)
The public bus operator for which the Ministry of Transport has already allocated a budget for 1,520 vehicles.

Law

Emergency Decree Authorizing the Ministry of Finance to Borrow Money for Resolving Energy Crisis Impacts and Creating National Energy Transition 2026(พระราชกำหนดให้อำนาจกระทรวงการคลังกู้เงิน เพื่อแก้ปัญหาผลกระทบจากวิกฤตพลังงานและสร้างการเปลี่ยนผ่านด้านพลังงานของประเทศ พ.ศ.2569)
The legislation being considered to provide funding for energy transition and crisis resolution.