The project was the focus of a high-level meeting held at Phuket Provincial Hall on Tuesday (June 17), chaired by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat.
Key participants included representatives from the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), the German development agency GIZ, the Thai Electric Vehicle Association (EVAT), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, and other relevant agencies.
The City Lab project is part of an ongoing Thai-German partnership designed to address urban challenges through innovation in electric vehicle (EV) technology and sustainable transport systems. The meeting reviewed the City Lab concept, previous activities and fieldwork, and outlined upcoming collaborative steps, explained an official report of the meeting.
Participants discussed key challenges identified during earlier workshops, confirmed a main project coordinator, and examined how to align the project with local government policies.
A core focus of the initiative is to engage local stakeholders ‒ government, academia and the general public ‒ in creating practical and scalable business models to support the use of EVs and reduce the carbon footprint of urban transportation.
Governor Sophon emphasised that the project represents a critical step toward achieving Phuket’s sustainability goals, said the official report.
The initiative aims to serve as a pilot that can be replicated in other provinces, ultimately improving the quality of life for residents and supporting Thailand’s broader climate objectives, the report added.