A MuvMi electric tuk-tuk is charged for use by the on-demand ride-sharing service in Bangkok. (Photo: MuvMi)
The Thai government is reviewing a 24-billion-baht plan to replace up to 80,000 ageing commercial vehicles with EVs and evaluating whether it should be extended to cover passenger electric vehicle purchases as part of the country’s energy-transition efforts.The replacement of tens of thousands of standard vehicles with EVs would help boost the country’s struggling auto industry, supporters have said.
Thailand is Southeast Asia’s largest automotive production hub, but domestic vehicle sales slumped to a 15-year low in 2024, as high household debt and tighter lending standards curbed demand, particularly for pickup trucks, a key sector of the market.
An initial proposal, presented to a government committee in June, targeted the replacement of commercial transport vehicles, including taxis, motorcycle taxis, tuk-tuks, buses and trucks, with electric equivalents, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat told Reuters.
“We are reconsidering whether the assistance should be extended to all vehicle categories, not just those for transport,” Mr Siripong said.
