Bolstered by the vision of carbon neutrality by 2050, the Thai government has set their sights on an ambitious project that aims to give a makeover to their entire fleet of government vehicles. The transformative idea is to replace the entire range of aging government automobiles with state-of-the-art electric vehicles (EVs). The renewed energy behind this significant ecological shift was stoked by an official notification from the office of the Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, who passionately advocates the integration of EVs within governmental departments.
The Prime Minister’s official directive, issued through the Secretariat of the Cabinet, has streamlined the collaboration between the Energy and Finance Ministries, the Budget Bureau, the Office of the Council of State and other key sections responsible for overseeing the procurement process of EVs. The primary objective of this is to phase out older vehicles that are approaching the end of their serviceability.
What’s more invigorating is the government’s vision that extends beyond the replacement of outdated vehicles. The directive also nudges the acceptance of EVs in public transportation services. Consequently, the Finance and Energy Ministries, together with the Transport Ministry, have been entrusted with the key responsibility of seamlessly integrating electric buses, taxis, and iconic tuk-tuks into public transport services.
Complementing the encouraging transition to EVs, the Prime Minister’s order, who is 61 years old, also instructs the Transport and Energy Ministries to work concertedly with concerned sectors in establishing EV charging stations spread uniformly across the country. The idea is to strengthen the infrastructure required to cater to the growing EV user base nationwide.
Added to this, the Transport Ministry is looking to introduce supportive measures for users of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles who are keen to switch to EVs. These provisions will likely address areas such as proper disposal of vehicles and recycling of parts.
The visionary order, furthermore, accentuates the government’s intention of nurturing the EV supply chain, with a keen focus on promoting investment in the manufacturing of EV components within the country. This is a part of the government’s resolve to encourage zero-emission vehicles. The ultimate aim is to ramp up the EV production by an impressive 30% by 2030, thereby positioning Thailand as an EV linchpin in the ASEAN region.
The Thai EV initiative policies form a vital component of the government’s commitment towards carbon neutrality. With a pledged commitment towards the United Nations, it’s the goal of the Thailand government to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065. In addition, the nation strives to become the leader of carbon neutrality within the ASEAN region, using sustainable development as a primary impetus for its economy as reported by the Bangkok Post.
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