MOEA to boost electric car market

Thailand’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said it planned to boost the nation’s electric car market in two phases, after a draft plan gained the Cabinet’s approval. The government will initially target public transportation through the use of 3,000 electric cars, urging the public sector and state-run enterprises to replace their gasoline-powered vehicles with battery-powered models. As for the second-phase plan, which will offer tax cuts and cash subsidies to the general public to popularize green vehicles, the government will make a decision on the size of subsidies, pending the government’s financial conditions. (January 14, 2010)