The milestone was marked with a launch event branded ‘Phuket Smart Mobility’ held at the Chartered Bank Intersection in Phuket Town last Friday (Dec 15).
The e-bikes and scooters are operated by Thai Personal Mobility Co Ltd (TPM), which is a joint company of GBike Co Ltd (the Thai incorporation of GCOO) along with state-owned National Telecom (NT) and Thai company Dhipaya Insurance.
The aim of the project is to promote the use of clean-energy transportations, starting with tourist areas in the country.
Supang ‘Lee’ Eawpadung, Chief of GCOO’s Southern Regional Office, explained, “There 100 bikes in Phuket Town, 100 bikes at Patong Beach, 30 scooters at Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus and 100 scooters at Phuket Rajabhat University have been provided.”
“We have provided bikes in public areas and scooters in private areas of university… Kata, Karon and Kamala beach are our next service areas,” Ms Supang added.
At the launch event last Friday were Phuket Vice Governor Sattha Thongkham along with NT President Col Sanphachai Huvanandana, Dhipaya Insurance Executive Vice President Suphap Pradabkarn and Jongsu Yoon, CEO of GCOO, one of the leading micro-mobility sharing services in Asia.
Mr Jongsu explained, “We are currently experiencing one of the hottest years on record since humanity began observing the weather. Our efforts to reduce carbon emissions have never been more important.
“Experiencing global climate change, more and more cities are embracing micro-mobility as a sustainable transportation option. Micro-mobilities are eco-friendly and among the most energy-efficient transportation modes globally. I am delighted to see Phuket join the micro-mobility wave, taking a significant step toward the Net Zero mission,” he added.
Mr Jongsu gave three specific reasons for launching GCOO in Thailand.
“Firstly, Thailand is a leading country in ASEAN with excellent citizens. A key factor for the success of micro-mobility sharing services is a high level of civic awareness, especially regarding the environment, and Thailand is excellent in this aspect,” he said.
“Secondly, it is a country with a stable communication network and reliable insurance services. We are honoured to collaborate with Thailand’s leading telecom company, NT, and the top insurance company, Dhipaya,” he added.
“Personal mobility sharing services, combining personalised eco-friendly transportation with the latest communication technology, and most importantly, backed by robust insurance, are crucial for ensuring users’ safety.
“If telecommunication is unstable, we cannot guarantee service quality, and without insurance, we cannot guarantee our users’ safety. Therefore, with NT’s developed telecommunication infrastructure and Dhipaya’s insurance services, we can focus more on our mission, Net Zero,” Mr Jongsu explained.
“Lastly, but personally, Thailand is a special country in my heart because my wife was born in Thailand and spent her childhood in Bangkok. We came to Phuket for our honeymoon, creating unforgettable memories. I am very glad to contribute to ensuring that this beautiful island, Phuket, can preserve its stunning natural beauty forever,” he said.
Ms Surapong explained to The Phuket News, “The e-bikes and e-scooters use Internet of Things (IoT) technology linked via NT’s 5G network for tracking 24/7 to prevent the bikes and scooters from being stolen. We also use geofencing to limit our service areas.”
In addition to tracking the whereabouts of the bikes and scooters, the IoT links with the bikes and scooters also allow GCOO’s vehicle management platform to monitor aspects such as battery levels and usage patterns in order to determine which areas need which types of vehicles.
NT President Col Sanphachai explained the wireless connectivity with the vehicles was through NT’s 5G 700MHz framework. NT obtained the 700MHz spectrum licence through CAT Telecom, which participated in the 5G spectrum licence auction held in February 2020. NT acquired the spectrum licence through the merger of CAT and TOT that created the state enterprise NT in January 2021.
Dhipaya Insurance Executive Vice President Ms Suphap noted, “Dhipaya Insurance joining this project allows us to provide life insurance coverage from accidents, including medical expenses, to people who use the e-bikes and scooters.”
ABOUT FACE
The dangers of using e-bikes, and especially e-scooters, in Phuket were highlighted last year, when officials at Provincial Hall started using them to determine how safe they were.
In February last year, Phuket police banned electric scooters from all public roads in Phuket after police seized four electric scooters being ridden by tourists on the streets of Patong.
People caught riding electric scooters on public roads were liable to a fine of up to B10,000 following an order issued by the-then Phuket Provincial Police Commander, Maj Gen Sermphan Sirikong.
People caught riding electric scooters on public roads also could be charged with operating a vehicle without a valid licence under Section 64 of the same act, as no licence exists for operating electric scooters, as they are not recognised as vehicles by the Department of Land Transport and hence cannot be registered, Maj Gen Sermphan said in the order.
The penalty for operating a vehicle without a licence is up to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of up to B9,000, or both, Maj Gen Sermphan added.
However, Maj Gen Sermphan did ask officers to issue warnings first before moving to press formal charges. He also explained to police that the law applied to public roads only.
“Electric scooters may be used in parks, but not on the roads” he said.
Phuket police have yet to publicly declare their current stance on the order issued by Maj Gen Sermphan last year.