The confirmation came at a meeting of the Phuket Provincial Land Traffic Subcommittee chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Pinsuwan at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Aug 24).
Joining the meeting was Phuket City Deputy Mayor Prasit Sinsaowapak, together with the heads of a host of other government organisations.
The B156 million will be drawn from the ‘2023 budget year’, which begins on Oct 1, an official report of the meeting explained.
The funds will be spent on buying 24 EV buses with 21 seats each.
The buses are to serve three routes, described as: 1) Saphan Hin - Central Phuket shopping mall; 2) Chalong Pier - SuperCheap in Ratsada; and 3) Ratsada Pier - The Mall Phuket.
Of note, “The Mall Phuket’ remains under construction next to the Andamanda Phuket water park on Phra Phuket Kaew Rd in Kathu, near the Samkong Intersection on the bypass road.
Despite the B10 billion megamall project being developed by The Mall Group still being under construction, the site is already designated as “Blu Pearl The Pride of Phuket”.
The PPAO has allocated a further B55mn from the 2023 budget to build two electric charging stations for the EV buses, the meeting was told yesterday.
The charging stations for the buses will be on Anuphas Rd on the east side of Phuket Town and at Saphan Hin.
The PPAO also aims to later add a fourth route for the EV buses, from Phuket International Airport, down Thepkrasattri Rd, along the bypass road to Chalong Circle, and onward to Rawai.