Why ChiangMai?
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According to Wikipedia, Chiang Mai is not only the second-largest city in Thailand but also one of the most attractive destinations in the country. Many Thai people choose to visit Chiang Mai during major holidays like Songkran (Thai New Year) or the New Year holiday.
There are multiple transportation options to reach Chiang Mai, including trains, airplanes, buses, and private cars. However, if you are traveling in a group of two to four people, the most convenient and cost-effective choice would be a personal car. With a personal car, you can easily explore Chiang Mai without the need to wait for the “Red car,” a local taxi which is a modified red truck.
If you ever visit Chiang Mai, you’ll quickly realize that getting around without a car can be a significant challenge. Unlike Bangkok or New York City, Chiang Mai lacks an extensive public bus system or a metro. While many tourists rely on “Red cars” (local taxis), bicycles, or rented motorcycles to navigate the city, these options are more suitable for solo travelers rather than groups or individuals looking to accomplish multiple activities within a limited budget in just one week.
Here is the review video : 12 TOP THINGS TO DO IN CHIANG MAI, THAILAND
Hence, the route between Bangkok and Chiang Mai stands out as the most popular route in Thailand. This is precisely why Khun Dol intends to inspect some of the charging stations along this route using his MG ZS EV.
How popular EV in Thailand?
One thing we must all acknowledge is that electric vehicles (EVs) are still relatively new in countries worldwide, particularly in developing nations like Thailand.
Based on data from Kasikorn, a Thai bank, only 77 electric cars were sold in 2018. The projected sales for 2019 are 1,500 electric cars, which is still significantly low compared to the U.S. car market, where electric cars sell over 10,000 units monthly.
To put it simply, the adoption of EVs in Thailand is at an early stage and has a long way to go in terms of market penetration.
As a result of exorbitant battery taxes imposed to restrict the import of electric vehicles (EVs) into Thailand, the price of the Nissan Leaf has skyrocketed to $66,666 (2 million baht). Similarly, the Tesla Model 3 (standard range) is priced at around $120,000 (3.6 million baht) in Thailand.
In comparison to the United States, where EVs are relatively affordable and charging infrastructure is widespread (Tesla’s supercharger network allows you to charge your vehicle conveniently at numerous locations), the situation in Thailand is quite different. The high prices and limited charging infrastructure in Thailand make it more challenging for individuals to adopt EVs as a viable transportation option.
Flaw or Flawless charging network in Thailand?
Furthermore, the charging stations in Thailand are not well-maintained and adequately prepared for use. Many of them are found to be broken, and this information only becomes known when EV owners attempt to use them for charging. This lack of reliability and availability of functioning charging stations adds to the challenges faced by Mr. Dol and other EV owners in Thailand.
Today, we will join Dol on his journey to explore Thailand’s charging stations, as he becomes the pioneer in conquering this adventure with his EV car. Let’s embark on this journey together and witness the state of EV charging infrastructure in Thailand.
Day 1 : Bangkok to Tak
- From Home to Faculty of Civil Engineering Rajamangala University Center Suphanburi
Traveled distance: 160 km or 100 miles
The average speed : 95 km/h(60 mph)
The traveling time : 2 hours and 15 minutes
Departure Time : 6:15 a.m.
Arrival Time : 8:30 a.m.
Battery drained from 100 % to 40 %
Charging Time : 40 minutes
Charger type : DC
Waiting Time : 60 minutes
Battery charged from 40 % to 81 %
Mr. Dol left home at 6:15 a.m. After he arrive at the first charging point, he found out that the charging point is on 3rd floor of Faculty of Civil Engineering. (Telephone No. 035-434-014 )
The staff is very friendly and willing to help. In addition, he told Mr. Dol that since we open this charging station, you are the third guy that come to use it, so the problem occur after twenty minutes later. The charger charged the car very slow. The monitor in the car indicate that the battery was filled up only one bar. The another staff come and fix the charging system by resetting it.
The problem at this charging station : the charger kept shutting down and the staff has to restart it several time to make it work.
Eventually, Mr. Dol’s car was charged by DC charger. The charging time is forty minutes, his car’s battery went up to eighty-one percents. Additional waiting time to recovery charger is 1 hour. The total time that spent at this station is 100 minutes.
2. From “Faculty of Civil Engineering Rajamangala University Center Nonthaburi” to To-U Bangchak gas station, Nakhon Sawan
Traveled distance : 131 km or 81 miles
The average speed : 100 km/h(62 mph)
The traveling time : 2 hours
Departure time : 10:35 a.m.
Arrival time : 12:30 p.m.
Battery drained from 81 % to 24 %
Charging Time : 3 hours 20 minutes
Charger type : AC
Waiting Time : 0 minutes
Battery charged from 24 % to 65 %
Note : charging with AC adapter was consumed a lot time. The reccommend charge is 75 %. However, Mr. Dol wanted to do some experiments with his car, so he decided to charge it upto 65 % and continue his journey.
3. From To-U Bangchak gas station to To-U Viang Tak Riverside Hotel
Traveled distance : 177 km or 109 miles
The average speed : 95 km/h(60 mph)
The traveling time : 2 hours 40 minutes
Departure time : 3:20 p.m.
Arrival time : 6:30 p.m.
Battery drained from 65 % to 5 %
Charging Time : Whole night(left it at charging station)
Charger type : AC
Waiting Time : N/A
Battery charged from 5% to 100 %
Note : Actual traveling time is three hours and thirty minutes because Mr. Dol did some activities during traveling. The experiment that he tried is proving that this EV car can travel with actual range from monitor which is true. He arrive the hotel with only five percent left of car’s battery.
Actually, his plan before departure is to charge the car at Tak riverside Hotel for awhile and continue his journey to Lampang city. However, the delay at the fist station make his plan crashed on the first day because the Lampang charging station is closed at 3:30 p.m. which is the time that he arrive at Tak city. Ultimately, he decide to stay at Tak city on the first night which he had to lose one night hotel at ChiangMai.(he already make a prepaid to that hotel!!)
Conclusion on first day :
T raveling start : 6:30 a.m.
Traveling end : 6:30 p.m.
Travel time(including charging and meals) : 12 hours
Travel distance : 468 km
Day 2 : Tak city to Chiang Mai city
4. From To-U Viang Tak Riverside Hotel to Mae Moh Power Plant
Traveled distance : 214 km or 133 miles
The average speed : 95 km/h(60 mph)
The traveling time : 2 hours 40 minutes
Departure time : 6:00 a.m.
Arrival time : 8:40 a.m.
Battery drained from 100 % to 16 %
Charging Time : 40 minutes
Charger type : DC
Waiting Time : N/A
Battery charged from 16% to 80 %
Note : The next station is Mae Moh Power Plant at Lam Pang city. Before leaving Tak city, Mr. Dol made a phone call to Mr. Wiratch who is the contact guy at Mae Moh Power Plant. Once Mr. Dol arrived at Mae Moh Power Plant, everything seem nice at first right there. The security guard opened the gate and welcome him to get inside. However, the problem occured inside the facility. The staff came out and ask Mr. Dol to leave the charging station because this parking for charging is blocked the bus’s drive way. However, if we see from picture below, you can tell that the parking spot didn’t block any driveway.
This is a big miscommunication between staff and people who want to use charging port. Additionally, the staff told Mr. Dol that this DC charger is for EV Bus only. If you want to charge your car then go to AC charger which will take time around five hours to fill the battery upto 80% !!!
Finally, Mr.Dol resist to move because he didn’t block any car driveway. Moreover, this charging station is for public use which mean that anyone can use it for free.
That staff didn’t have a good reason to ask Mr. Dol to leave, so he went back to the office and come back with his boss. Now, his boss told the fake information to Mr. Dol that this charger is for EV bus only. If you want to use free charger then go to use AC charger (Slow charger). This is really pissed me off when I heard this story because EGAT (Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand) advertised their company that people are feel free to come to use their 23 charging stations for free, but when Mr. Dol came to the scence then everythings changed tune. Ultimately, Mr. Dol insisted his right, so those guys walked away. He kept charging and stand next to his car because he planed to move his car away when the EV bus come to charge here. Even he finished charging his car, none of EV bus came to this charging station. Plus, the bus that you see in this picture is not using charging port at all.
Hence, if you plan to go to any EGAT charging station in Thailand to charge your EV car then show this picture to them, and ask them to read this sentence.(EGAT love the world, our organization has a highest EV buses in Thailand. Plus, we opened 23 charging stations for our citizen to use for free).
5. From Mae Moh Power Plant to Chiang Mai
Traveled distance : 139 km or 86 miles
The average speed : 95 km/h(60 mph)
The traveling time : 2 hours 20 minutes
Departure time : 9:10 a.m.
Arrival time : 11:30 a.m.
Battery drained from 80 % to 26 %
Charging Time : 40 minutes
Charger type : DC
Waiting Time : N/A
Battery charged from 26% to 80 %
Day 3 : travel around Chiang Mai City
Note : after charging at one of Chiang Mai’s charging station, Mr. Dol headed to Doi Inthanon (Highest mountain in Thailand).
Day 4 : Return Trip
- From Chiang Mai to Mae Moh Power Plant
Traveled distance : 136 km or 84 miles
The average speed : 80 km/h(49 mph)
The traveling time : 2 hours 5 minutes
Departure time : 6:00 a.m.
Arrival time : 8:05 a.m.
Battery drained from 95 % to 52 %
Charging Time : 64 minutes
Charger type : DC
Waiting Time : N/A
Battery charged from 52% to 97 %
Note : The round back (South bound to Bangkok), Mr. Dol decided to turn off A/C and open the window while driving a car. If you traveled around northern of thailand frequently, you will know that the air is quite unpolluted in the morning, so it’s good to feel the fresh air in the morning.
When he arrived at Mae Moh Power Plant this time, the security gave him a very warm welcome and let him charge the car freely. I mean without cost as well. In addition, Mr. Dol prepare the advertising document of “Free of Charge” , in case somebody would ask him to leave again. After he parked and put the charger to his car, he moved very quicky to sit at the stone bench for avoiding an Eye-catching from people around there.
2. From Mae Moh Power Plant to To-U Viang Tak Riverside Hotel
Traveled distance : 213 km or 132 miles
The average speed : 90 km/h(55 mph)
The traveling time : 2 hours 45 minutes
Departure time : 9:20 a.m.
Arrival time : 12:05 p.m.
Battery drained from 97 % to 30 %
Charging Time : none due to error
Charger type : N/A
Waiting Time : N/A
Battery charged from N/A
Note : Once Mr. Dol arrive charging station : To-U Viang Tak Riverside Hotel. He found out that somebody parked at EV parking lot which is unacceptable action in U.S. and around the world. He asked the security to inform the people who parked at this spot to move his car away. However, the security afraid to ask that car’s owner to move his car because he was in meeting inside hotel. Asking that guy to move the car out right now might disturb the meeting. The security suggested Mr. Dol to wait till the meeting is over which might be over around evening (4-6 hours from now). Therefore, Mr. Dol had to explain to the security that he is really need to charge his car otherwise the car’s battery won’t have enough energy to go back to bangkok.
Finally, the security helped him to ask the owner of the car which parked block the charging port to move away. Any way, the another trouble popped up immediately which is error code from charging device. (the car charger cable is broken form inside). Mr. Dol tried to troubleshooting the charger device with the help of To-U call center.
The conclusion came out that the Magnetic switch at the charger device is broken, so Mr. Dol had to left the Tak city with the car’s battery level : 30 %
Alternative plan!!
He used an alternative plan which is heading to “MG khamphengphet store”. He saved this location’s phone number(Tel : 055-840-640 ) as an emergency case. This location has a home charger to charge any MG ZS EV, so if you want to visit this place then Mr. Dol recommend to call to check the availability before you arrive there. Any way, he told me that he found this information from youtube channel : MG CAR
Plus, you can follow Mr. Dol youtube channel at Captain DIY
Note : The distance from To-U Viang Tak Riverside Hotel to MG khamphengphet is around 70 km(43 miles). The car has battery left only 30 % which convert to the range is around 96 km. Let’s go!!
Furthermore, if something went wrong , like battery’s level become 0%, then he will call a tow truck to tow his car to that store any way…
Tow for regen
Mr. Dol wanted to do some experiment before he left Tak city. Due to the battery level of his car became so low, so he called his friend around that area to tow his car for a few miles.
Tow distance : 20 km or 12.4 miles
Tow speed : 30 km/h or 18.6 mph
Regenerate from towing : 25 %
Battery level (before tow) : 25 %
Battery level (after tow) : 50 %
Note : The regeneration brake was set to level 3(Kers 3 which is the highest setting), and the car was set into Eco Mode.
Note2 : The tow car’s engine is 3,000 cc, 4WD and the engine rev around 2,000 rpm during towing time.
3. From To-U Viang Tak Riverside Hotel to MG store at khamphengphet city.
Traveled distance : 70 km or 43 miles
The average speed : 80 km/h(49 mph)
The traveling time : 59 minutes
Departure time : 12:53 p.m.
Arrival time : 1:54 p.m.
Battery drained from 30 % to 9 %
Charging Time : 3 hours 10 minutes
Charger type : AC
Battery charged from 9% to 58 %
Note : the reason that he can charge his car upto 58% because the store is about to close. Any way, the range of his car gained upto 156 km
4. From MG store at khamphengphet city to To-U Bangchak gas station, Nakhon Sawan
Traveled distance : 106 km or 65.8 miles
The average speed : 90 km/h(55.9 mph)
The traveling time : 1 hour 30 minutes
Departure time : 5:15 p.m.
Arrival time : 6:42 p.m.
Battery drained from 58 % to 21 %
Charging Time : 3 hours 45 minutes
Charger type : AC
Battery charged from 21% to 74 %
Note : the charging station was still opened, but the coffee shop was closed. Mr. Dol had to sit outside while his charge charging there.
Next station is PEA Rangsit which is around 210 km away from this charging station, so he had to charge his car as much as he can.
74 % = 245 km which was sufficient range for this trip.
4. From To-U Bangchak gas station, Nakhon Sawan to PEA Rangsit
Traveled distance : 206 km or 128miles
The average speed : 90 km/h(55.9 mph)
The traveling time : 2 hour 5 minutes
Departure time : 10:30 p.m.
Arrival time : 1:05 a.m.
Battery drained from 74 % to 4 %
Charging Time : 10 minutes
Charger type : DC
Battery charged from 4% to 40 %
Note : Mr. Dol already calculate that he needs only 40 % of battery’s level in order to make this car take him back to his home safely. The range from this station to his home is around 56 km.
4. From PEA Rangsit to home
Traveled distance : 56 km or 34.7 miles
The average speed : 100 km/h(62 mph)
The traveling time : 35 minutes
Departure time : 1:20 a.m.
Arrival time : 1:55 a.m.
Battery drained from 40 % to 15 %
How could it be $0 trip?
In Thailand, right now, there are several charging provider that encourage Thai people to use EV. Most of them don’t set the price tag for charging. According to real experience from Mr. Dol, there is very few charging stations in Thailand which is still not convinient to ordinary people to use it.
Mr. Dol faced several issues from those charging station such as cable was broken, the charging machine stopped working(happened to him more than three times in this trip), and the staff asked him to leave(block to charge).
I think Thai government should do a fully support for this industry otherwise Thailand would be only one country in Asia that walk backward.
According to Battery Tax in Thailand, there is no way for middle class people to buy a Tesla model 3 which cost them to buy around $120,000. You have to know that the average wage in Bangkok is of 25,500 Thai Baht per month, or approximately 800 USD. How could these people use an electric car like Tesla Model 3 in Thailand?
However, MG ZS EV is cost in Thailand only $40,000, but the average wage approximately 800 USD won’t be sufficient for everybody to buy it. The problem(battery tax) stopped developing EV infrastructure. If no one buy EV car, then why do we have to build EV Charging station.
BLINK DRIVE TAKE
First of all, it’s my honor to work with Mr. Dol to create this post. I believe that this post will be the legendary post in Thailand and other developing country to follow his legend.
If Christopher columbus was an Italian explorer and colonizer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that opened the New World for conquest and permanent European colonization of the Americas.
Then Mr.wannadit wan-in or Mr.Dol(his nickname) would become a Thai explorer who completed a voyage from Bangkok to ChiangMai with Electric Vehicle that opened the New Green World’s vision to Thai people. His name will be definitely inscribed in Thai history.
Mr. Dol or Mr.wannadit wan-in would be a Thai Columbus for our next generation. He will be the guy who can educate people about EV car and all environmental issues.
I think that the best teacher in the world is the person who always love to educate the people, and the best student in the world is the person who never stop learning.
My best teacher in this year would be Mr. Dol who sacrifices his leisure time(spend all his day-off) and money(lost one hotel night at Chiang Mai) to educate Thai people about how to drive a EV car from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. I believe that next year, there will be more people who follow Mr. Dol path and will make it shorter and faster than Mr. Dol did. Therefore, do you want to make a better with me? if yes, then share this post to the people around the world. Let them know that Thai people still has a legendary people who willing to sacrifice everythings to make our world to better place.
However, this is my first English post that I ever write in this website, so if you see any mistake in grammar. Please, feel free to contact me. I will correct all those mistakes by myself. I’m sorry for inconvenience in grammar error in advance.
