Shaping Thailand’s Clean Mobility Programme

Reducing Air Pollution from Vehicles

In Bangkok, transport contributes more than 50% to PM2.5 emissions and is one of the main causes of bad air quality. Therefore, the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), with the support of TRANSfer III, is working towards the setting up of the “Thailand Clean Mobility Programme”.

This programme adopts the following approaches:

1. Increase appeal of public transport by bus modernisation as well as enhance green procurement (in accordance to Sustainable Development: SDG 12) for new fleet of buses;
2. Internalise real cost of private car travel: In order to discourage usage of private vehicles, this measure provides policy recommendation to support the implementation of a transport demand management approach; and
3. Establish a Sustainable Transport Fund: In accordance with the attempt to reduce the number of cars on the road, this component supports modal shift to public transport by fare improvement of service quality and fare subsidy. Also, replication of projects in Bangkok in other Thai cities.

During August 2019, a series of events under the chairmanship of OTP has steered political momentum for these measures. The programme will help reduce air pollution from vehicles via pricing incentives, and using this money as one source of the fund to foster sustainable transport. The approaches will be fully developed by mid-2020. Let’s see how it will shape Bangkok and Nationawide’s eco-friendly mobility.