Deputy Transport Minister Pichit Akrathit said yesterday the 2.7-billion-baht procurement project for 200 electric vehicle (EV) buses can be submitted to the cabinet by December if the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) is able to draft a procurement plan by November.
The planned procurement of the buses is part of the Transport Ministry's 2017 action plan to improve public transport in the capital.
"If the BMTA can submit the procurement project to the ministry in November, it can be quickly submitted to the cabinet for consideration so the project can move forward," Mr Pichit said.
Prayoon Choygeo, deputy director for the BMTA's bus operations, said the transit authority is currently drafting a tax-exemption plan for importing the EV buses.
He said tax exemption was necessary in launching the project because the median price including taxes could be too high for any potential bidders to be interested.
Mr Prayoon added the BMTA is also reviewing research data on another procurement project for 1,600 new buses, of which a proportion of them are set to be EV buses.
He said the findings will help determine how many of the 1,600 buses should run on electricity.
Mr Pichit said the BMTA should consider buying the buses as opposed to leasing them, even if it means the buses might take longer to procure. He said buying the buses will be a "more worthwhile investment", since the BMTA can obtain low interest rates as a state enterprise.
"If the BMTA chooses to lease the buses private companies could charge high maintenance fees," Mr Pichit said.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has said he wants the new buses on the road by year-end as a New Year's gift to people.
