Thai automated parking system provider Parkplus Co has entered the online platform, launching Park 2 Go, the first car park mobile booking application.
The company plans to spend 300-400 million baht next year to expand parking lots in Bangkok and Greater Bangkok, including installing electric vehicle (EV) chargers at each car park building.
Abhiram Sitakalin, managing director of Parkplus, said the Park 2 Go mobile app should synergise its business strategy in the long run.
"This is the first car park mobile booking app in Thailand. Park 2 Go has a startup budget of 5 million baht for mobile app development and registered capital of 30 million baht to establish the company," he said. Park 2 Go aims to fulfil demand of motorists in the metropolitan area seeking available parking spaces to book before arrival, said Mr Abhiram.
Park 2 Go managing director Vanita Srifuengfung said Thais developed the mobile app for about two years and it is now available on Apple iOS. The company expects to introduce the app on Google Android early next year.
She said users can book parking spaces up to four hours in advance, paying a booking fee of 20-100 baht per hour. The prices depend on location -- the heart of the business district would charge a higher price than less central areas.
App users can check parking space availability at 800 buildings in Bangkok and Greater Bangkok.
"Park 2 Go is now available at a parking lot adjacent to Bangkok Christian College with a capacity of 70 cars. The lot is owned by the company and has 280 cars circulate there per day during working days," said Ms Vanita.
"We are going to partner with La Villa, Megabangna, The Mall and Central Department Stores to offer some 1,000 parking spaces for booking by 2018."
She said Park 2 Go offers a new model to manage parking lots in the central business district via mobile app, which can increase car circulation for lot owners in the long run.
The company plans to export the app to other countries in the near future such as China, South Korea and Japan.
Mr Abhiram said the EV chargers will be expanded to lots where Park 2 Go offers booking. It costs 200,000 baht to install a charger, which are compatible with all plug-in hybrids and battery-powered cars, from Japanese and German brands.
Parkplus expects revenue of 100 million baht in 2017 to install automated parking systems in urban condos. The company has a backlog worth 500 million baht to be secured by 2019, he said.