PATTAYA, Thailand – In a bid to revolutionize public transportation and combat pollution, Pattaya City took a significant step forward on April 25 with the official handover of electric pickup trucks, Hilux Revo-e, for trial service as Baht-Buses, locally known as the Song Taew.
This milestone stems from a collaborative effort between Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd., and the city of Pattaya, encapsulated in a memorandum of understanding for the “Sustainable Urban Development Project Free from Pollution.” The initiative aims to enhance transportation and public transit systems in Pattaya by embracing clean energy vehicles.
As part of the project’s strategy to curb carbon emissions, the electric pickup trucks will undergo trial service as fixed-route public transportation vehicles from April 2024 to December 2025. Operating along the “Route 4,” these twelve electric vehicles will shuttle passengers from the Bali Hai Pier Parking Lot in South Pattaya to the Bang Lamung District Office.
The fare structure for this innovative service will be determined by the Pattaya Cooperative, marking a pioneering move in Thailand’s transportation landscape. The trial period seeks to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of integrating electric cars into the public transportation network, setting the stage for a more modern and sustainable transit system in Pattaya.
Surapoom Udomwong, Deputy Managing Director of Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd., and Rewat Siangchin, Chairman of the Pattaya Cooperative handed over the electric baht buses to Mayor Poramet Ngampichet at Pattaya City Hall. Following the formalities, a procession of twelve electric vehicles set off from the Bali Hai Pier Parking Lot in South Pattaya, marking a symbolic shift towards sustainable urban development.
