Ferry operator to allow EVs on board to Koh Samui next week

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In: South-East Asia

Electric cars permitted solely on Tuesdays, Saturdays

PUBLISHED: 7 Feb 2025 at 11: 03

Crew members of Raja Ferry Port Plc use a fire blanket to extinguish a blaze involving an electric vehicle during a drill on one of its ferries on Friday. (Photo: Supapong Chaolan)
During a Friday drilling on one of its ferries, Raja Ferry Port Plc’s team uses a hearth blanket to start a fire that was involving an electrical vehicle. ( Photo: Supapong Chaolan )

Starting on Tuesday, the operator of the ferry services between Surat Thani and Koh Samui will resume accepting electric vehicles ( EVs ), ending a three-month ban due to safety concerns.

On Friday, Phutthapong Wimolphan, the deputy managing director of Raja Ferry Port Plc, announced that the business would offer EV service twice a year on Tuesdays and Saturdays from Don Sak region to Koh Samui. &nbsp,

Koh Samui, two southern provinces that Raja Ferry serves, even has pathways to Koh Phaluai and Koh Phangan.

The ban on EVs, in effect since November next month, aimed to ensure the safety of ships and people, though hybrid cars remained allowed. &nbsp,

Another company that offers the same company, Seatran Ferry, permits EVs on board, but only requires them to park on the ship’s front and rear areas.

Before allowing them up on the ships, Raja Ferry announced that it needed to improve its products, including fire extinguisher for Vehicles. They conducted a training session on Friday to prepare staff for such scenarios with materials like Automotive fire blankets by simulating an Electric fire ship.

Worldwide, fires brought on by batteries in EVs have sparked a lot of public interest, but studies have shown that internal combustion engine ( ICE ) vehicles have a higher fire risk.

For instance, a study conducted for the Australian Department of Defense found that customer electric vehicle batteries had a 0.1 % higher chance of catching fire than those in ICE vehicles.