Thailand plans to roll out EV charging facilities

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's plan to add 110 new EV charging outlets indicates the company’s effort to further decarbonize Thailand while promoting Thailand’s EV ecosystem.

In a bid to become a leader in the EV charging business, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has announced plans to expand EV charging outlets across Thailand, building on its 50 years of expertise in electricity supply and transmission system development. With this expansion, 110 new EV charging outlets will be deployed, increasing from 211 at the end of last year. According to reports, the company hopes to add 100 more outlets by next year. The director for innovative energy solution business management at EGAT, Nissara Thammapala, says that the expansion will enable EGAT’s EV charging outlets to gain traction in the EV solution sector. Nissara added: “We believe the EV charging business is still a blue ocean market.”

EGAT’s promise to deliver more EV charging outlets comes after Thailand’s Department of Land Transport reported a total of 141,008 battery EVs in the country. It is also said that the Thai Industrial Standards Institute and the Energy Regulatory Commission are developing standards for EV chargers used in the country, while the Engineering Institute of Thailand is drafting standards for charger installation. Amidst all these developments, EGAT is dedicated to evolving to take centre stage in Thailand’s EV ecosystem. Thus, apart from the deployment of EV charging facilities, EGAT provides a smartphone app to manage queues at charging stations, and consultation on the technical aspects of charging infrastructure. The company also recently unveiled its EV charging facilities at the Bangkok EV Expo 2024.

EGAT’s effort to expand its charging outlets indicates its efforts to scale up its EV solution businesses compared to already large-scale rivals.

As Thailand’s car production industry gears up for a transformative journey, the stakes have never been higher. Picture this: a bustling crossroads where traditional Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) face off in a dramatic showdown. The roadmap to Thailand’s automotive future is dotted with flashing signals, and the country is at a crucial intersection.

In the grand tapestry of automotive evolution, Thailand stands at a captivating nexus. Sompop Manarungsan, President of the Panyapiwat Institute of Management, shares his wisdom amid the growing symphony of EV sales that has crescendoed to approximately 100,000 units adored by a 12-13% growth rhythm. Sompop smiles at the government’s decision to keep Japanese manufacturers ensconced in Thailand’s green spotlight. “Hybrids can seamlessly act as a sonorous bridge between legacy ICEs and the brave new world of EVs. Let’s not forget, in a world where drivers harbor doubts about fully electric vehicles, hybrids are the warm embrace they seek for now,” he opines.

From the comfort of hybrids, he also points out the stark reality of Thailand’s statutory shortfall in EV infrastructure. “Before we rush headlong into a full EV transition, an electrifying expansion of charging networks is indispensable. Hybrids keep the symphony alive, balancing suppliers at varying levels, lest a discordant transition send shockwaves through the fiddling ICE supply chains.”

However, while Thailand remains a vital note in the Chinese EV production ensemble, outshining China in sheer quantity is a feat of epic proportions—13 million units annually, no less. But wait! China acknowledges Thailand’s crescendoing supply chain harmonies, tuned finely to ICE production’s legacy, blending with local content nuances stringed together by the Board of Investment.

Positioned strategically, with an eye on pole position in the grand ASEAN automotive race, all Thailand needs is to continue dancing to a melody of careful policy notes and harmonious industry movements. It is a grand waltz demanding both strategic dexterity and vision—a riveting journey within the orchestral heartbeat of Thai innovation.