The launch of ‘City Lab Phuket’ was held at Phuket Wittayalai School this week, with Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn joining representatives from government agencies, the private sector and transport operators to unveil a series of transport innovations being tested across the island.
Among those attending were Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) Deputy Director Suwichan Surabal, GIZ Thailand Transport Projects Director Dr Dominika Kalinowska, Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) President Rewat Areerob, Phuket City Deputy Mayor Pibulsak Kittithorakun and Phuket Provincial Transport Office (PLTO) Chief Adcha Buachan.
Governor Nirat said Phuket’s growing traffic congestion is primarily the result of too many private vehicles on the roads, making it necessary to encourage residents to adopt alternative forms of transport.
He noted that successful public transport systems in countries such as Germany had demonstrated the importance of public participation and cooperation in developing sustainable mobility solutions.
With Phuket’s relatively small geographical area, the province has strong potential to develop new transportation systems if all sectors work together, he said.
The City Lab Phuket project is being carried out through cooperation between Phuket Province and the German development agency GIZ under the Thai-German Cooperation Project on Energy, Transportation and Climate Change (TGC-EMC). Phuket City Development (PKCD) is serving as the local consultant alongside a network of public and private sector partners.
The initiative is designed as an ‘Urban Living Lab’, providing a platform for government agencies, educational institutions, transport operators, communities and innovation partners to jointly design, test and evaluate new approaches to urban mobility.
One of the key pilot projects presented at the launch was the ‘Hub to School’ programme, which uses electric buses to transport students between transport hubs and schools during peak traffic periods.
The project aims to reduce the number of private vehicles around schools, ease congestion during morning and afternoon rush hours and lessen the burden on parents responsible for daily school drop-offs and pickups.
Officials confirmed the programme began operating in a soft-launch phase on May 18 and will continue for one school semester until Sept 30.
Two routes are currently being operated free of charge during the trial period, with services provided by the PPAO and Phuket Smart Bus Co Ltd.
Another project unveiled was a prototype ‘Smart Bus Stop’, equipped with technology capable of displaying real-time bus location and route information, allowing passengers to better plan their journeys.
Officials said the system is intended to improve the convenience and reliability of public transport while modernising Phuket’s transport infrastructure.
The launch marks a significant milestone for the City Lab programme, which was first introduced in Phuket last year as part of a broader Thai-German partnership focused on sustainable transport and electric vehicle development.
In June 2025, Phuket officials, GIZ representatives, transport planners and academic institutions met at Phuket Provincial Hall to begin developing practical and scalable solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of urban transportation.
At the time, the project focused on identifying transport challenges, engaging stakeholders and establishing a framework for future pilot programmes.