Category: The Bangkok Post

The Ministry of Culture on Sunday outlined plans to hold various cultural and religious activities, as well as preparations for funeral rites and the cremation of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother following her death on Friday.

Culture Minister Sabeeda Thaised on Sunday said the ministry deeply acknowledges Her Majesty’s benevolence and the Department of Religious Affairs had invited 93 monks to perform chanting rites starting from Sunday between the hours of 7am and 9pm at the Grand Palace’s Dusit Maha Prasat Royal Hall.

Religious groups representing Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism will also hold prayers or remembrance rites, each in accordance with their own faiths, followed by signings of the books of condolences at the end of each activity, she said.

A little further down the track, the Fine Arts Department will oversee the design and construction of the royal crematorium and related structures in accordance with traditional royal Thai customs.

Teams of architects, craftsmen and engineers will draft an initial set of designs for royal approval.

The department will also coordinate the building of replica crematoriums and pavilions for the public to offer sandalwood flowers in the provinces and to compile commemorative publications to give away to attendees.

Meanwhile, the Department of Cultural Promotion will work with national artists to host commemorative events honouring Her Majesty’s life and work

It will also coordinate with the Bureau of the Royal Household and the Prime Minister’s Office to issue public guidance on proper conduct and traditional attire for participation in royal ceremonies and upcoming cultural events, including Loy Krathong.

The Thai Film Archive will release films and archival footage of Her Majesty attending to her royal duties at various times during her life across all media platforms, in cooperation with the Public Relations Department and other government agencies, so that people can remember her lifelong contributions and work for the good of the people.

All affiliated agencies will also organise volunteer activities, such as tying mourning ribbons and sandalwood flowers and to assist people who attend the royal ceremonies.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary Office will provide further information about these events and ceremonies.

Motorists on Kanchanaphisek Road in Nonthaburi suffered through an hours-long traffic gridlock on Monday morning after a pickup truck crashed into the metal framework supporting a huge overhead sign, and it fell onto the road.

The incident was reported to Bang Bua Thong police about 5.30am.

It occurred near kilometre marker 44+250 on the outbound side of the 64-kilometre road, also known as the Bangkok Outer Ring Road, that connects Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya provinces.

Responders called to the scene said a grey Isuzu pickup truck involved in the accident suffered major frontal damage.

Early reports indicated the vehicle was on the frontage road and hit the support post anchored to the median strip on its right.

Surveillance camera footage later showed the pickup was actually on the main road. It arrived at high speed and crashed into the support post, ending up on the median strip.

The driver was reported to have fled the scene. Police said they would find him.

The pickup driver would be charged with damaging government property, Sitthichai Saraphrom, head of Bang Bua Thong Highway Division, said.

The collapsed overhead sign blocked all three outbound lanes of this major roadway. Motorists were redirected onto the frontage road, leading to a long queue of vehicles.

Many motorists complained about experiencing heavy gridlock over several kilometres during the rush hours.

The JS100 Radio reported about 8am that a crane was being used to remove the collapsed sign. Normal traffic resumed about two hours later.

The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) has committed to regularly monitor and report on scam-related crimes, which have emerged as a growing social threat.

In its “Social Conditions Report for the Second Quarter of 2025”, the state planning agency cited data from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime indicating several neighbouring countries have become hubs for global cybercrime and online fraud networks. These include online gambling scams, romance scams and even human trafficking — activities that have caused significant economic losses to victims worldwide.

The NESDC said Thailand has intensified measures to combat international scammers and human traffickers, such as its “Three Cuts” policy (cutting electricity, fuel and internet) along the Thai-Myanmar border; restrictions on border crossings between Thailand and Cambodia; joint military-police border patrols; integrated intelligence sharing among multiple agencies; and stricter monitoring and screening of high-risk areas along the borders.

In addition, stronger measures were implemented to prevent technological crimes. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission approved a resolution on June 30 requiring service providers to share responsibility for damages caused by fraud.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Thailand mandated financial institutions limit fund transfers and payments to no more than 50,000 baht per day, with the rule enforced for new customers in August and for existing customers later this year.

A source from the Finance Ministry who requested anonymity said the economic impacts from scam gangs are clear and severe, falling into three categories:

1. Capital outflow: Tens of billions of baht are lost each year — money that should have supported consumption and investment is siphoned out of the economy.

2. Erosion of the digital economy: Scams undermines public trust in online transactions, slowing digital economy growth, which was designated as a national priority.

3. Enormous hidden costs: Both the government and financial institutions allocate vast budgets and resources to address these scams instead of improving other areas of service development.

The source said Singapore offers a model for addressing this issue, establishing the Anti-Scam Centre (ASC) in 2019, a one-stop service agency dedicated to preventing and combating cybercrime, particularly scams. The ASC operates under the Singapore Police Force and works in real time with the private sector.

Representatives from more than 10 banks are stationed at the centre, which cooperates with telecom companies to block suspicious phone numbers and messages. ASC officers can trace and freeze transferred funds within just a few hours. In six years, the ASC has frozen more than 27,000 bank accounts, recovered over S$200 million and arrested more than 10,000 suspects.

Driving sustainable growth means more than increasing sales — it’s about improving lives throughout the product journey and offering customers better choices, guided by a clear vision.

“PepsiCo is a college of learning and leadership,” said Sudipto Mozumdar, general manager of Indochina Foods and chief commercial officer for Asia-Pacific at Pepsi-Cola (Thai) Trading Co Ltd, the producer and distributor of Lay’s potato chips.

Having spent more than 27 years at the company, Mr Mozumdar shared his diverse experiences and the personal growth opportunities made available to him via various business units.

He told the Bangkok Post he spent 21 years in the company’s offices in India before moving to Bangkok, where he now oversees operations in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.

CONSUMER-CENTRIC

“We believe if we are obsessed with the consumer, we will win,” said Mr Mozumdar.

In this region, where he has now served for six years, he has observed the diverse demographic profile of customers in Thailand and other evolving markets.

Gen Z accounts for around 15 million people in Thailand, while there are more than 20 million people in the country aged over 50, he said.

This presents a positive challenge in developing products that appeal to a broad range of age groups, he noted.

In addition, sales channels are also important. In Thailand, the balance of sales between traditional and modern trade is roughly equal.

Modern trade includes supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores, with the latter making a significant contribution.

Mr Mozumdar said the Thai market is quite dynamic. For example, a single customer might purchase a product from different stores — ranging from hypermarkets and convenience stores to mom-and-pop shops, e-commerce platforms, and online delivery services — at various times of the month, depending on the occasion, he explained.

He emphasised the company’s R and D teams spend time and put significant effort into gathering insights. Their continuous monitoring of emerging trends enables the company to develop flavours that cater to local preferences.

While managing the complex mix of consumers and age groups may seem like a daunting task, Mr Mozumdar described it as “a fascinating challenge”.

As the media has become fragmented, he said the company employs targeted communication strategies during this digital era, using curated campaigns to reach each consumer group.

“If we flip our perspective, there might be an opportunity hidden within. Our job is to thrive by decoding and identifying these opportunities,” Mr Mozumdar said.

POSITIVE AGRICULTURE

Mr Mozumdar said the company has set a goal of becoming a “global leader in convenient foods and beverages” through the PepsiCo Positive (pep+) strategy.

This global strategy represents PepsiCo’s global transformation plan, with sustainability at its core. It includes three pillars: Positive Agriculture, Positive Value Chain, and Positive Choices.

In Thailand, PepsiCo is promoting regenerative farming practices in collaboration with local farmers.

The company promotes the use of technology and innovation to local farmers to increase potato yields, employing tools such as drones for farmland scouting. It also encourages sustainable practices such as the “Dry-Wet Irrigation Cycle” — a technique that balances dry and wet periods during crop growth.

This method helps optimise water use in water-scarce regions without compromising crop health.

Another focus is soil improvement. The company promotes measures such as increasing organic matter through the use of green manure and beneficial microbes, bringing to a halt the practice of burning crop remnants after harvest, and encouraging crop rotation to reduce monoculture and enhance soil biodiversity.

“Since 2022, PepsiCo Thailand has supported farmers in improving soil health across more than 2,000 hectares, creating a strong foundation for more resilient farming practices,” he added.

In collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), a German development agency, PepsiCo Thailand launched a climate-smart agriculture programme in 2021 to promote sustainable potato farming and strengthen the resilience of Thai agriculture.

The programme directly supports more than 4,800 Thai farmers across 38,000 rai of farmland in key potato-growing regions, including Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Tak. Its key focus areas are smart farming technology, efficient water management, and farmer development.

POSITIVE VALUE CHAIN

PepsiCo Thailand operates two snack factories located in Lamphun and within Ayutthaya’s Rojana Industrial Estate.

The plants are equipped with rooftop solar systems that cover more than 90% of the roof space. The company also converts organic waste into electricity and treats and reuses water from its production facilities.

PepsiCo Thailand continues to advance its sustainability goals. Water use efficiency is performing better than the company’s targets. Emissions reduction is progressing toward the company’s goals. Packaging design and plastic initiatives are on track, reinforcing the company’s commitment to a circular economy.

As part of PepsiCo’s broader Positive Value Chain agenda focused on reducing emissions, improving water efficiency, and advancing sustainable packaging, the globally launched Greenhouse Accelerator Program (GHAC) reinforces this commitment by empowering startups to pilot innovative, circular solutions.

Since its inception in 2017, GHAC has supported innovation in sustainability, agri-tech, and eco-friendly packaging.

In 2023, a Thai startup was selected as one of 10 Asia-Pacific finalists and piloted a consumer-led recycling initiative using a digital platform to promote circular packaging solutions.

POSITIVE CHOICES

The company aims to offer products that have a positive impact on consumers, communities, and the planet.

Mr Mozumdar said consumers are increasingly health-conscious and interested in healthier alternatives.

To meet this growing demand for healthier snacks, the company introduced Sunbites, a multigrain snack offering a healthier alternative.

The Thai government’s proposed salt tax is currently under development. The Excise Department plans to introduce a new salt tax this year, based on sodium content.

He said the company is adapting its products in Thailand in line with the World Health Organization’s sodium-reduction guidelines.

“We are very happy to work closely with the government to create solutions benefiting both the industry and the health of the Thai people,” Mr Mozumdar said.

He said the company aims to strike a balance between maintaining the signature flavours of its products and complying with the latest standards.

As part of this effort, PepsiCo has launched reduced-sodium Lay’s products across major retail channels, including hypermarkets and convenience stores. One example is Lay’s Light, which offers consumers a lower-sodium snack option as part of PepsiCo’s ‘Positive Choices’ portfolio.

ROLE MODEL

Mr Mozumdar shared his vision for PepsiCo Thailand, emphasising that the company continues to strive for growth.

However, he noted this growth extends beyond the company’s bottom line, focusing on improving the lives of stakeholders throughout the supply chain.

As part of PepsiCo’s Positive agenda, the company is committed to enhancing lives across the supply chain and caring for the planet.

For its employees, PepsiCo has introduced an Individual Development Plan, which encourages staff to map out their future career paths with the company’s support. The programme aims to groom future leaders and develop expertise in their chosen fields.

“We talk about better solutions and discuss the reasons behind our actions. We voice our opinions fearlessly. And when we succeed, we celebrate,” he said.

“This is PepsiCo’s way.”

Mr Mozumdar said Thailand has the potential to become a strong example of a country that delivers business growth and the growth of its people while contributing to a better world, serving as a role model for other markets in the future.

Fifa lowered the flags at its headquarters in Zurich to half-mast to mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother of Thailand.

The world football governing body informed the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) of its gesture of mourning and respect following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.

As a mark of tribute, Fifa lowered the national flag of Thailand and the flags of all continental confederations to half-mast at its headquarters in Zurich.

FAT earlier notified Fifa and its 211 member associations of the passing of HM Queen Sirikit on Oct 24.

Following this, Fifa expressed its condolences and solidarity with the people of Thailand by lowering the Thai national flag and the flags of all six continental confederations to half-mast.

The FAT, led by its president Nualphan Lamsam and its executive committee, has expressed its heartfelt gratitude to Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino for this meaningful expression of sympathy and remembrance.

The American Boarding School Fair by Sesameed Education is returning to Bangkok on Sunday, 2nd November, and will be held at The St. Regis Bangkok. The fair will give families?access to admissions leaders and alumni from many of the world’s top boarding schools. Designed for parents of students aged 10 to 14 and above, the Bangkok edition will bring clarity and confidence to one of the most important decisions a family can make.?

‘Our mission is not just to secure placements, but to help students discover the environments where they will thrive – academically, socially and emotionally,’ says Founder Daniel Szeto. This student-first philosophy underpins The Sesameed Way – Educate, Prepare, Match, a distinctive framework that families will experience throughout the fair.?

The Bangkok stop is part of Sesameed’s 2025 American Boarding School Fairs circuit across the region, reflecting the firm’s expanding footprint and its commitment to ethical, student-first guidance. Sesameed is among the few Asia-based consultancies with membership in the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), underscoring adherence to high standards of practice and integrity. Following the success of its 2023 and 2024 fairs, which drew over 550 families across Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Sesameed continues to broaden access to world-class education opportunities.

Visitors can expect to meet representatives from leading US boarding schools, the calibre of names that consistently appear on Thai families’ wish lists, including Choate Rosemary Hall, Deerfield Academy, The Lawrenceville School, and St Paul’s School, among over 30 others.?

Why boarding school, and why now? Modern boarding schools offer an immersive, 24/7 environment coupling academic rigour with leadership, resilience, and global citizenship. Students benefit from close mentorship, rich arts and athletics, student governance and service learning – experiences that build independence and emotional intelligence. At the Bangkok fair, speak to the Sesameed team to address common misconceptions head-on and learn how a well-matched boarding experience can shape a student’s university trajectory and life beyond.

What Makes US Boarding Schools Stand Out: U.S. boarding schools are renowned for opening doors and shaping futures. Students benefit from significantly stronger university placement outcomes, with acceptance rates to top institutions, including the Ivy League, reported to be up to 3,000% higher than the global average. Their campuses are home to world-class faculty and modern facilities that nurture curiosity and empower ambition. A personalised, values-driven education ensures every student is seen, guided, and supported in their own strengths. This foundation leads to proven alumni success across academics, leadership, entrepreneurship, and global careers. Beyond the classroom, students build lifelong friendships and global networks, gaining cultural confidence and connections that continue to enrich their lives long after graduation.

What can families look forward to? Families attending the fair will have opportunities for one-to-one conversations with admissions officers and move through an intentional, results-oriented program, from exploratory campus tours to application timelines and interview preparation. With a focus on personalisation and connection, the events offer an intimate environment for families to explore their options, ask targeted questions, and make well-informed decisions.?

Sesameed’s outcomes speak to its approach. In 2024, 100% of students supported by the firm received at least one school offer; and in 2025 students received 126 offers from top 30 US schools and 80% of junior-boarding applicants were accepted by their top-choice.?

Sesameed is widely regarded as a leader in personalised education consultancy across Asia and the Middle East. With over 20 years of experience and a proven record of placing students at elite institutions.

Event details:?

Date: Sunday, 2nd November 2025 (Afternoon)

Venue: The St. Regis Bangkok??

Traffic on Rama II Road was briefly interrupted by a concrete spill during pouring for the M82 motorway being built overhead in Samut Sakhon early on Monday, not by a construction subsidence as some people had wrongly speculated on social media, the Department of Highways said.

The incident occurred about 1.55am at a construction site of the Ekkachai-Ban Phaeo section of the M82 project.

It was near kilometre marker 29+600 on the Bangkok city-bound lane of Rama II Road, a highway notorious for its decades of often-fatal accidents caused by the construction of the long delayed overhead motorway.

A Facebook user posted in a Samut Sakhon local news group that wet concrete had fallen onto the road surface as vehicles were passing. The post was quickly shared on social media, drawing complaints about the repeated construction-related accidents along the road.

In response, the Department of Highways apologised for the incident and said it happened during the pouring of concrete for a supporting cross beam.

Some of the mixed concrete had overflowed from a formwork into the protective trap and spilled onto the road below, blocking a traffic lane, the department said.

It was not caused by any structural flaw. The structure’s integrity remained safe.

Repair crews and machinery rushed to the scene by the department and the contractor quickly cleared away the spill and normal traffic resumed within 30 minutes, the statement said. There were no reports of people suffering any injury and no damage to public property, it said.

ONE Championship has confirmed that this week’s ONE Friday Fights 131 event at Lumpinee Stadium will proceed as scheduled, despite Thailand entering a period of national mourning following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother passed away peacefully last Friday at the age of 92 at Bangkok Hospital, as announced by the Royal Household Bureau. The country has since entered a year-long mourning period in her honour.

According to sources, consideration had been given to postponing or cancelling the event – as ONE did earlier this year following the Bangkok earthquake in March – but the organisation decided to move forward after consultations with Thai authorities and Lumpinee Stadium officials.

Friday’s card will now take place with expected adjustments to tone and presentation, as the nation observes mourning protocols.

The ONE Friday Fights 131 lineup is headlined by a flyweight Muay Thai rematch between Suriyanlek Por Yenying and Decho Por Borirak.

The card also features a number of rising young stars including Russia’s Rustam ‘Tomahawk’ Yunusov, who will look to secure a US$100,000 full-time contract when he takes on Petsukumvit Tomthungyai in the international featured bout.

The long-running weekly series, which began in January 2023, has become a cornerstone of ONE Championship’s partnership with the Royal Thai Army and Lumpinee Stadium – showcasing local and international Muay Thai talent every Friday night in Bangkok.

ONE Championship cancelled its March 22 edition of Friday Fights earlier this year following a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in northern Thailand that sent tremors through Bangkok.

This week’s event, however, will go ahead as planned.

The promotion is expected to observe an official tribute to Her Majesty The Queen Mother during the broadcast, which airs live from 7:30pm local time on Channel 7HD and globally via YouTube and other platforms.

Thailand’s manufacturing sector is struggling to deal with challenges raised by US tariff rules on Thai imports, even as the rate was cut significantly in early August.

Washington decided to impose a 19% duty on Thai products in August, replacing its draconian rate of 36%. Yet exporters risk facing higher rates on some products if the items are considered by US authorities as being shipped to Thailand and then re-exported to America, often called transshipment.

Transshipment and dim prospects for exports are making manufacturers apprehensive as they attempt to overcome challenges this year and in the long term in their adaptation to new international trade rules.

HIGHER RVC

Thailand is expected to raise regional value content (RVC) to around 50% once ongoing US-Thailand negotiations to address transshipment are concluded, according to the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB).

RVC is the percentage of a product’s value that comes from a specific region. If the RVC of a product assembled in Thailand for export to the US is 50%, half of its value is calculated from domestically sourced raw materials, while the latter half comes from imported parts.

The proportional calculation is meant to tackle origin fraud and curb the re-export of Chinese goods as Thai products.

“If Thailand fails to meet the RVC requirement, the US will impose a 40% tariff on products regarded as being shipped via Thailand to the US,” said Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), a key member of the JSCCIB.

An initial survey conducted by the FTI among 24 of its 47 industry clubs found three industries — electronics, steel and pharmaceuticals — with RVC of less than 40%.

The average local content of products in the electronics industry was the lowest at 22.5%, followed by 30% for steel and 35% for pharmaceuticals.

Industries with high local content on average are plywood and wood planks (85%), roofing materials (82.5%), food and beverages (75%), petrochemicals (70%), cars (66.6%), rubber (65%) and herbs (60%).

As of July 11, 13 industries had yet to provide information on RVC in products, while 10 others said they did not export products to the US.

COMPLIANCE URGED

Mr Kriengkrai stressed the need for entrepreneurs to comply with the RVC rule to maintain competitiveness in the US market.

“Industries will be severely affected if their products are subjected to an RVC-based tariff,” he said.

The Donald Trump administration’s more stringent import duty is believed to target Chinese manufacturers attempting to avoid steep tariffs on their products by exporting them to the US via third countries, especially those in Southeast Asia, according to media reports.

Earlier this year Trump vowed to impose stiff tariffs on solar panel imports from Southeast Asia following an investigation that began a year ago when several major solar equipment producers asked the US government to protect their domestic operations.

The tariffs target companies in Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam in response to allegations of subsidies from China and the dumping of unfairly cheap products in the US market.

Solar panel exports from Thailand to the US raised concerns over transshipment as some Chinese manufacturers rebrand solar products here before re-exporting them to the US, according to Treerat Sirichantaropas, chief executive of New Energy Plus Solutions, which sells solar panels made by Shanghai-based Jinko Solar Holding.

Other Chinese producers focus on selling rooftop solar panels in Thailand, he said.

EV EXPORTS

The export of electric vehicles from factories in Thailand, mostly operated by Chinese EV makers, may not risk RVC tariffs as many producers announced plans to use domestically sourced materials for EV assembly.

The Board of Investment (BoI) said Chinese EV manufacturers vowed to buy their components in the country. Local content is expected to account for up to 90% of total EV components, noted the BoI.

Chongqing-based Changan Automobile, committed to investment in Thailand of up to 10 billion baht, will start with a local content proportion of 60%, rising to 90% in the future, according to Shen Xinghua, managing director and president of Changan Auto Sales (Thailand).

GWM expects 80-90% of EV components to be from local materials, said Michael Chong, general manager of GWM (Thailand).

The National EV Policy Committee is promoting EV exports by easing production requirements for EV manufacturers participating in state EV incentive schemes if they produce battery EVs for export.

The shift aims to ramp up efforts to make Thailand an EV export base.

The two schemes — EV3.0 and EV3.5 — require manufacturers to produce EVs locally to compensate for vehicles they imported since the start of the EV subsidy programmes in 2022, prior to commencing local production.

SHIPMENT SLOWDOWN

Thailand must not allow the RVC issue to slow down exports in the fourth quarter, as they are already projected to sag during this period, said the JSCCIB.

The panel attributed the decline in exports to global trade uncertainties and baht appreciation.

Exporters will lose competitiveness as the tourism industry is slumping and the economy remains sluggish, noted the JSCCIB.

A global economic slowdown could reduce demand for goods and services, affecting export-driven nations, said Poj Aramwattananont, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

The JSCCIB projected Thai GDP growth of 1.8-2.2% this year, with export growth of 2-3% and inflation of 0.5-1%.

Shuttle buses carrying people to Yumeshima Island in Japan to join the Expo 2025 provided their last services on Oct 13, but their potential as new energy-powered vehicles is just beginning to gain momentum.

The vehicles were run by electrofuel, a type of eco-friendly fuel which could compete with batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs).

These are dominating automotive markets as campaigns against global warming intensify.

Thailand is heavily promoting EVs and batteries, but as production of electrofuel on a commercial scale is not so far off, the government should pay more heed to this fuel, including it in plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions in the transport sector.

EV sales, which are doing well here, are not a complete solution to air pollution. It is hardly possible to electrify all types of vehicles, especially large-sized buses, trucks and ships which usually travel on long-haul routes. These bus and trucks are often fueled by diesel.

Electrofuel might solve this problem.

Widely known as “e-fuel”, electrofuel is a type of synthetic fuel created by using electricity from renewable sources to combine hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce synthetic hydrocarbon fuel.

In other words, we are making oil that can fit internal combustion engine-powered cars without the need to make changes to car engines.

The recent Expo in Osaka was the first time in Japan that e-fuel was tested in commercial vehicles.

The shuttle buses took people between the Umekita Green Place Bus Terminal in Osaka and Yumeshima Island, offering a direct service to the Expo site for six months after the event started on April 13.

E-fuel producer ENEOS Corporation collected data from fuel usage, with an aim to produce it on a commercial scale at its factory in Yokohama.

It is a promising carbon-neutral fuel because, though synthetic oil-powered cars emit carbon dioxide, the process to make this fuel requires the need to capture carbon dioxide to blend with hydrogen. One result is there is no additional carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere.

Thailand set a new target to strike a balance between greenhouse gas emissions and absorption by 2050, 15 years sooner than its original goal. To cut carbon dioxide emissions, authorities support the use of various biofuels, including gasohol, a mix of gasoline and sugar cane-derived ethanol; biodiesel, which is made by blending diesel with palm-based methyl ester; and lately sustainable aviation fuel, a biofuel for aircraft made from used cooking oil.

But they have yet to introduce e-fuel to truck and bus operators.

The National Electric Vehicle Policy Committee wants to convert some trucks and buses in the country to EVs. Under its “30@30” policy, the panel expects EVs to represent at least 30% of total auto production by 2030, comprising 34,000 electric buses and trucks, 725,000 zero-emission cars and 675,000 electric motorcycles.

During the first eight months of this year, newly registered electric trucks increased by 67% year-on-year to 265 units, up from 158 units, while electric buses fell by 62% to 89 units, down from 237 units, says the Department of Land Transport.

This shows electric mobility technology is less popular among buses and trucks than battery EVs in the passenger car category, with new registrations soaring by 55% to 77,036 units, up from 49,641 units, during the same period.

The figures appear to pave the way for the government to start considering making e-fuel another alternative fuel for buses and trucks, though some pain points of synthetic hydrocarbon production must be addressed.

According to experts, e-fuel is more expensive than battery EVs.

The former has estimated cost of between US$0.30 and 0.50 per kilometre, compared with a range from $0.05-0.10/km for the latter. It is evident e-fuel has low efficiency and high production cost.

One reason behind these obstacles is e-fuel involves a complex production process. Manufacturers first need to use electricity made from renewable energy to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen.

They must use technology to capture carbon dioxide.

A last step is to combine hydrogen and carbon to make synthetic hydrocarbon by using the electrolysis technology.

Chaiwat Kovavisarach, chief executive and president of energy conglomerate Bangchak Corporation, is aware e-fuel is pricey, about four times as costly as fossil-derived fuels.

Yet he believes the synthetic hydrocarbon business has a potential to grow in the future.

Bangchak earlier announced it is seeking partners to conduct e-fuel research and development in a move to replace fossil-derived fuels.

The company does not want to do R and D from scratch but prefers to join hands with energy firms to speed up work in this field, said Mr Chaiwat.

Bangchak is planning to have its own research centre to facilitate the development of e-fuel projects.

The company will spend part of its US$30-milion budget, allocated for new businesses and innovation, to fund the construction, said Mr Chaiwat.

It also plans to ask for financial support from the Office of National Higher Education, Science Research and Innovation to help translate its research facility project into action.

Bangchak has decided to make a crucial move in the fuel business. Will the government follow suit, at least by taking e-fuel development into more serious consideration?

Ranjana Wangvipula is Assistant Business Editor of ‘Bangkok Post’.