On 6 October 2017, the “Bridging the Grids – the Smart Mobility Symposium” was held for speakers from Thailand, Germany, Korea and Singapore to share the lessons learnt from mobility-related fields such as electro-mobility & individual mobility, railway and public transport, production of vehicles, mobility services, energy in mobility and consultation on urban & traffic planning. The exhibitions surrounded the stage, where a diverse range of companies from local start-up to global player showcase their vehicles, technologies and know-how of all the mobility-related industries. Mr. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, the Minister of Transport, and H.E. Peter Prügel, the German Ambassador to Thailand, presided over the event.

Mr. Papondhanai Nanthachatchavankul, GIZ’s Project Manager for Transport and Climate Change Division, made a presentation on “Energy Efficiency and Climate Change Mitigation in the Land Transport Sector in Thailand”. In his presentation, Mr.Papondhanai talked about a holistic approach to transport energy efficiency, known as AVOID- SHIFT-IMPROVE approach. To achieve sustainable urban transport, the project focuses on national climate change mitigation based on this approach.

To AVOID or reduce the need to travel or move goods, mass transit-oriented cities should be developed to optimise transport networks and their use.  People should also be encouraged to SHIFT to non-motorised transport such as walking and cycling. And last but not least, the efficiency of vehicles must be IMPROVED.

Moreover, the project is supporting the ASEAN Transport Strategic Plan 2016-2025 / Kuala Lumpur Transport Strategic Plan (KLTSP) in both ASEAN and national level through capacity building in cooperation with universities, public organisations and the private sector. The project is also working on Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) to mitigate national climate change. With these collaborations, Thailand will be able to prosper under a clean, efficient, affordable, and sustainable transport system.