The transition to electric buses in Bangkok is still underway, with route 515 being the latest to see their deployment. The environmentally-friendly buses will serve passengers traveling between Salaya in Nakhon Pathom and Victory Monument in Bangkok. A total of 1,250 EV buses are expected to be deployed throughout the capital this year.
Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob presided over the commencement of service on route 515, connecting Salaya and Victory Monument. The vehicles are operated by “Thai Smile Bus (TSB)”, which already handles electric bus operations for a number of other Bangkok routes.
Minister Saksayam said the government prioritizes improving the efficiency of public bus services by contracting to clean energy or electrically-powered bus operators. The aim is to streamline bus operations and reduce pollution in urban areas.
The minister added that he expects the new EV buses to be well-received by passengers, with the TSB service drawing praise from APEC delegates during the recent economic leaders’ week.
TSB has a deployment target of 1,250 EV buses this year and expects all buses in Bangkok to be electrically powered within three years. 5,000 buses will run during normal hours, with 8,000 buses to operate during rush hours.
TSB expanded its business by merging 21 bus and boat operators under the same umbrella. This has resulted in the TSB network now operating services on some 120 bus routes and three water routes. (NNT)
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