The government plans to replace old government vehicles with electric vehicles (EVs) in response to the national goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, according to a Government House source.
The source said on Thursday that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had issued a notification letter regarding the government's EV encouragement plan, including vehicle-changing measures, via the Secretariat of the Cabinet on Monday.
According to the order, the Finance Ministry and Energy Ministry are expected to work with the Budget Bureau, the Office of the Council of State, and related sectors on the EV procurement process to change some of the older vehicles whose lifespan ends shortly.
The order also included other measures that encourage EV usage in the public sector. Those included an order for the Finance Ministry and Transport Ministry to come up with EV public transportation, including e-buses, e-taxis, and e-tuk-tuks.
It also ordered the Transport and Energy ministries to work with related sectors on constructing EV charging stations, as well as other help for infrastructure that supports individual EV users' demands nationwide.
The Transport Ministry is expected to work with related sectors to study and come up with supporting measures for internal combustion engine car users who want to change their car into an EV, such as end-of-life vehicle disposal and parts recycling.
The order also said that the government has plans to support EV supply chains, especially investment in EV component production in the country, as a part of its zero-emission vehicle encouragement policies. The government aims to increase EV production by 30% by 2030 and become an EV hub in the Asean region.
These EV-related policies were one of the government's attempts to continue its carbon neutrality policies.
Thailand has promised the United Nations it will reach a long-term goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2065. The nation also aimed to be a leader in carbon neutrality in the Asean region while using sustainable development as the main engine to grow its economy.