SURVEY: Electric vehicles, is Thailand ready?

[Scott]

As many countries move toward more sustainable energy sources and encourage the use of electric vehicles, in your opinion, is Thailand ready to move in the same direction?

 

Please feel free to leave a comment.

 

[Misterwhisper]

None of the voting options provided really fit.

So I went for the one that probably comes closest to the realities on the ground, "If China goes green, Thailand will follow".

As China has absolutely no plans (nor the necessary infrastructure) for "going green" in the broadest sense and anytime soon, Thailand won't "go green" either.

[ozimoron]

Unless Thailand (or any country) wants to start designing and building its own vehicles this question is moot. All manufacturers are building electric vehicle and all will stop building ICE vehicles within about 5 years.

[rudi49jr]

Most Thai can’t drive worth sh*t, just look at the many, many fatalities in Thai traffic every day, so the last thing they need is a vehicle that can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in about 4 seconds. 

[KhunLA]

13 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

Most Thai can’t drive worth sh*t, just look at the many, many fatalities in Thai traffic every day, so the last thing they need is a vehicle that can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in about 4 seconds. 

Take scooters out of the equation, and roads here are as safe as any western country.  As with every country, no need for any vehicle to have a top speed much over 125 kph, and get there in less than 10 seconds.

 

Voted yes / wave of the future ... how ever far away that will be.  Not in my life, unless the prices come way down, or the tinker toy cars become fashionable like in China. 

 

About the only thing most can afford, and if going to charge the same ICE entry level car prices, need to bring the specs way up.

Edited January 2, 2022 by KhunLA

[rudi49jr]

34 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Take scooters out of the equation, and roads here are as safe as any western country. 

Disagree. I see many Thai car drivers pull crazy stunts that (almost) no one in any western country would do. Go stand at any busy intersection and watch what happens when the traffic light turns red. The minivans are in a different class of crazy drivers altogether. People will drive the wrong way for hundreds of meters, just to avoid having to make a detour of a few km to use a u-turn further up/down the road. The list goes on. 

[KhunLA]

2 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

Disagree. I see many Thai car drivers pull crazy stunts that (almost) no one in any western country would do. Go stand at any busy intersection and watch what happens when the traffic light turns red. The minivans are in a different class of crazy drivers altogether. People will drive the wrong way for hundreds of meters, just to avoid having to make a detour of a few km to use a u-turn further up/down the road. The list goes on. 

I'm from the states, and seen and done some pretty 'crazy stunts' myself, and don't find Thais much different.  Vans and delivery truck (P/Us) do top the list though.  I put a lot of kms on the car, and quite happy with the 4 wheeler, and most professionals here.

 

Do a stat comparison, taking the 73 ish % of scooters out, and per capita road deaths, fit in with most western countries.

https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/road-traffic-accidents/by-country/

 

[ThailandRyan]

California due to a electrical crisis this past summer due to hot weather, and now because if heavy Snow has told the folks who have EVs to not charge them so the power could be ysed elsewhere. 

 

Many, almost 20 percent have switched back to gas powered vehicles even as the Governer has banned new gas vehicles in the future.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-car-owners-switching-gas-charging-a-hassle-study-2021-4&ved=2ahUKEwj7q9n0xZL1AhWtTWwGHZzvCx8QFnoECAUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2kibPP5t1v0iQu9HpfXM7r

 

How does that fare fir Thailands rural Areas where it's a fair distance in between locations.

 

Guess solar cars will be the future here. Not.

[Bluespunk]

Considering the New Years death toll you have to question whether the country is ready for vehicles full stop. 
 

Sarcasm alert-I know most countries have road fatalities and to be honest environmentally it would be better if there were better public transport systems world wide and less reliance on private vehicles of any sort.
 

But that’s just my view…

Edited January 2, 2022 by Bluespunk
Missing word or two

[Bandersnatch]

Already charging my EV from excess solar in the middle of the day.

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Do a stat comparison, taking the 73 ish % of scooters out, and per capita road deaths, fit in with most western countries.

If doing an evaluation on road safety, I just don't see the validity of taking the most common vehicle out of the tally. It is nonsensical!

[KhunLA]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

If doing an evaluation on road safety, I just don't see the validity of taking the most common vehicle out of the tally. It is nonsensical!

All things are not equal.  I replied to a Thai / Western country comparison.   USA for example, motorcycle riders are rare in comparison to 4 wheel vehicles.  Take the 73 ish % off the 30+ per 100k for Thailand, and brings it down to the same ballpark area of 10ish per 100k of the USA.

[2009]

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Take scooters out of the equation, and roads here are as safe as any western country. 

Nah, man.

 

I just witnessed loads of cars driving really fast towards (what they didn't realize was) a traffic jam.

 

Of course, once they eventually realized they slammed the breaks on hard causing a series of nose-to-tail smashes and adding to the fun some even swerved (into the next lane) to miss the stationary car in front of them but ended up getting walloped by the car which was speeding down that lane anyway.

 

Like, when have you ever seen that in a western country?

 

And all the way down from Saraburi we saw multiple nose-to-tail accidents. They were just sitting there, feeling stupid, while waiting for the insurance to arrive.

Edited January 2, 2022 by 2009

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

All things are not equal.  I replied to a Thai / Western country comparison.   USA for example, motorcycle riders are rare in comparison to 4 wheel vehicles.  Take the 73 ish % off the 30+ per 100k for Thailand, and brings it down to the same ballpark area of 10ish per 100k of the USA.

But that still leaves Thai roads as far more dangerous than many other countries. Dead is dead........

It isn't even safe being a pedestrian here!

[TropicalGuy]

Huge Joke. Guess where the EV Electricity comes from ? Power Stations using Fossil Fuels..after stupidly closing Clean Nuclear PS….

[Eric Loh]

8 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

But that still leaves Thai roads as far more dangerous than many other countries. Dead is dead........

It isn't even safe being a pedestrian here!

But but whats that got to do with EV cars. 

[Eric Loh]

10 minutes ago, TropicalGuy said:

Huge Joke. Guess where the EV Electricity comes from ? Power Stations using Fossil Fuels..after stupidly closing Clean Nuclear PS….

Nope. Almost 70% of Thailand power stations use natural gas. Not exactly green but they produces less pollution and greenhouse gases. 

[TropicalGuy]

17 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Nope. Almost 70% of Thailand power stations use natural gas. Not exactly green but they produces less pollution and greenhouse gases. 

Natural Gas is a ……..Fossil Fuel.

[rudi49jr]

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I'm from the states, and seen and done some pretty 'crazy stunts' myself, and don't find Thais much different.  Vans and delivery truck (P/Us) do top the list though.  I put a lot of kms on the car, and quite happy with the 4 wheeler, and most professionals here.

 

Do a stat comparison, taking the 73 ish % of scooters out, and per capita road deaths, fit in with most western countries.

https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/road-traffic-accidents/by-country/

 

Still disagree. In my country (The Netherlands) there are about 200 deaths each year that are car occupants. Extrapolated to population size, where the Thai population is almost exactly four times that of The Netherlands, that would mean about 800 deaths (car occupants) per year in Thailand. 
 

According to WHO figures, about 22,500 people died in traffic in Thailand in 2016. I think the real number is quite a bit higher, but let’s not quibble and keep it at that. Now let’s say 20% of traffic deaths in Thailand are occupants of cars: that would still mean about 4,500 deaths per year.

 

Now I know this calculation is rather ‘quick and dirty’, but IMO the difference is still quite obvious, no matter how you slice it. 

[KhunLA]

31 minutes ago, rudi49jr said:

Still disagree. In my country (The Netherlands)

Netherland ... 3.8 per 100k ... ????

Thailand ... ~10.1 ... per 100k (32.7 - 73% = 10.1)  ????

USA ... 12 per 100k  ????

Luxemburg ... 8.7 

I did say western countries, not which one, USA - the motherland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

 

Back on Topic ... how many killed in / on EVs ... I'm feeling lucky ????

Edited January 2, 2022 by KhunLA

[Longwood50]

You have the majority of the country unable to purchase a car let alone an electric car.  Also, while electric cars may be a viable option for those living in single family homes, those living in apartment buildings would certainly find charging their car daily to be an impossibility.  Finally, you have to have the charging stations conveniently located and numerous in order for people to rely on electric cars as their sole source of transportation.  

It may happen, but I suspect it will be decades not years before you see considerable movement in that direction.  By that time, technology may very well come up with an alternative to electric powered vehicles.  I own a Toyota Cross Hybrid and it gets 17.4 KM per litre.  Now why would I want to spend a huge amount more just to go totally electric? 

[StayinThailand2much]

I think it depends on the price. If EVs are sold at a low price, people in Thailand will buy them.

[bkk6060]

These vehicles still have limited distance although, I am sure some battery will come that can change that.  Finding charging stations the amount of time it takes to fully charge them.  And, they have depreciated much faster then gas vehicles.

It is the future unfortunately, would much rather have a high performance power engine that makes some noise when you step on it.

Edited January 2, 2022 by bkk6060

[trainman34014]

Going EV is a waste of time until the country first stops making Electricity with Coal and Gas !

 

Meanwhile; i've never known Thailand to be 'ready' for any change, not a proactive country in any sense, so you will have to wait until China leads them by the hand sometime towards 2100 !

Edited January 2, 2022 by trainman34014

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, rudi49jr said:

Most Thai can’t drive worth sh*t, just look at the many, many fatalities in Thai traffic every day, so the last thing they need is a vehicle that can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in about 4 seconds. 

I think this is one of the reasons why manufacturers tend to suppress availability of high performance models that are readily available elsewhere, especially in the West. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

All things are not equal.  I replied to a Thai / Western country comparison.   USA for example, motorcycle riders are rare in comparison to 4 wheel vehicles.  Take the 73 ish % off the 30+ per 100k for Thailand, and brings it down to the same ballpark area of 10ish per 100k of the USA.

And if yer Auntie had baws she'd be your Uncle. 

[Bandersnatch]

13 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

Going EV is a waste of time until the country first stops making Electricity with Coal and Gas !

I make my own electricity and save ฿5,000 a month I would have spent on gasohol 

[KhunLA]

17 minutes ago, Bandersnatch said:

I make my own electricity and save ฿5,000 a month I would have spent on gasohol 

I think my scooter cost ฿5 to top up from 10%, if remembering the promo correctly ????

Which in ICE cost, would be ~2 L @ ฿60 now.

Wow, free beer with every top up  Kopper ฿55 @ 7-11  ????????????

Edited January 2, 2022 by KhunLA

[herfiehandbag]

Chiang Rai is ready and raring to go - one of our petrol stations has even got a charging point!

[kimamey]

6 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I'm from the states, and seen and done some pretty 'crazy stunts' myself, and don't find Thais much different.  Vans and delivery truck (P/Us) do top the list though.  I put a lot of kms on the car, and quite happy with the 4 wheeler, and most professionals here.

 

Do a stat comparison, taking the 73 ish % of scooters out, and per capita road deaths, fit in with most western countries.

https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/road-traffic-accidents/by-country/

 

The countries surrounding Thailand and others which also have many bikes have far lower road fatalities so I'm not sure you're right. Also how many western countries don't have a proper driving test carried out on the road.

 

I'm from the UK and although there are idiots here as well I didn't realise how good the driving was until I drove on Thai roads. When I'm in Thailand I miss the politeness of most drivers in the UK. Having said that I do find truck drivers show appreciation when I give them room on country roads if they are coming the other way.

 

Of course it isn't helped by not having a proper police force.

 

I don't think most EVs do 100kph in 4 sec so that shouldn't make things worse.