Cherdchai Tours Launches Free Electric Bus Service Korat-Bangkok
Cherdchai Tours launched a free 10-day trial of its 100% electric bus service on the Nakhon Ratchasima–Bangkok route, offering free rides to promote the new EV coaches. The Foton-made buses feature reclining seats, charging ports, and toilets, and run on Route 21 with a four-hour journey. The initiative aims to cut diesel costs and emissions while boosting local manufacturing and sustainable transport.
Nakhon Ratchasima – Unfazed by rising diesel prices, Cherdchai Tours launched the inaugural service of its 100% electric passenger bus on the Nakhon Ratchasima–Bangkok route, offering free rides for ten days. The ceremony took place at Platform 17 of the Nakhon Ratchasima Bus Terminal (Second Station) for Route 21. Passengers who booked online via the Cherdchai Tours app and website boarded the Foton-made EV bus, which features 31 electrically adjustable reclining seats, USB-A and Type-C charging ports, and a downstairs toilet. The bus departs from Nakhon Ratchasima Terminal at 09:00 and arrives at Bangkok’s Mo Chit 2 Terminal at 18:00, covering 256 km at a maximum speed of 90 km/h, with a travel time of about four hours. The battery capacity allows over 300 km per charge, requiring roughly three hours to recharge. A Chinese Foton Motor engineer accompanied the first trip to monitor safety and assist if needed. The project is a collaboration between Cherdchai Industry Workshop and Foton, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, aiming to replace diesel buses with electric ones to cut fuel costs and pollution, while using locally produced parts to support the Thai economy. The article then provides historical background on Route 21, noting its golden era in the 1990s, previous operators, and recent declines in ridership due to COVID-19 and shifting travel habits, with current average daily trips around 140.
