More people will travel upcountry if roads improved, EV garages made available
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is urging the government to boost tourism in second-tier provinces by improving roads and putting up garages that can repair electric vehicles (EVs).
Somruedee Jitjong, TAT’s deputy chief for the domestic market, said the growing popularity of EVs would result in more Thais taking to the road and thereby boosting tourism.
She added that the purchase and use of EVs have been rising over the past few years, and TAT is planning to launch tourism promotions for EV users next year.
She said the rising use of EV cars will boost tourism because new models can cover about 400 kilometres per charge and there are now more charging stations around the country. Moreover, she said, EVs are far cheaper to run compared to petrol-run cars.
She said the main reason EV owners avoid visiting second-tier provinces is because the roads are bad and they fear their car batteries would be damaged. To overcome this, she said, the government could support the setting up of garages that can provide basic repairs to EVs in all provinces so EV users can drive around the country with peace of mind.
“Government agencies that promote the use of EVs should ensure there are enough EV garages around the country in case the vehicles break down upcountry,” Somruedee said.
