Go Green Thailand

The Land of Smiles is dealing with the challenges of pollution, climate change, and the millions of annual tourists. Creative adaptations abound, and travelers can make a difference by seeking out greener, more ethical options that are not sacrifices, but actually improve the travel experience. 

Green on the Water

Bangkok is a city of canals, and the muddy waters of the Chao Phraya River also curl serpentine through the capital city. Life along the river is a destination in itself, and boat traffic — from ferries and private boats to barges and pleasure cruises — take their toll on the water quality. A common mode of travel is the long-tail boat: a narrow, canopied wooden boat with a repurposed diesel truck engine attached to a steerable long pole with a propeller at the end of it. These produce pollution, and the engine noise is enough to make one shout to be heard. But Mr. Sun had a solution.

Sira ‶Mr. Sun″ Lipipattanawit of Suksamran Electric Boat confirmed my booking for a group of four, and we met him at a pier a short walk from Bangkok′s Skytrain in Thonburi on the west side of the Chao Phraya, almost a time capsule in contrast to modern Bangkok to the east. We saw him before we heard him — unusual for this sort of boat — and then we spotted the solar panels along the top. Mr. Sun squatted on the bow with what looked like a drone controller in his hands as he maneuvered the craft into place so we could board. 

He converted the diesel engine to electric and installed panels that, with charged batteries, maintained enough juice for over 5 hours of touring waterways only wide enough for a couple boats to pass. We slipped quietly past homes built along the water, under walking bridges, stopping at temples, a museum, and several restaurants. Mr. Sun′s boat was so silent you forgot you weren′t merely coasting, and he could narrate the tour without shouting. We pulled up next to a banyan tree full of .… 

By Kevin Revolinski

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