On November 11, the prime minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-cha visited the floating market Damnoen Saduak in order to see the boat with an electric motor modernized using the "Slavyanka" technology. He held a meeting with the team of developers and made a speech for the locals.
The project aimed at modernizing traditional Thai boats is implemented with the participation of Victor Arestov's company ASPP Weihai, solar panel developer Hanergy Glory and University of Bangkok. Arestov's enterprise has equipped the boat with a combined winding modernized motor DA-100SL and the original inhouse-produced controller.
The government of Thailand paid its attention to the boat project for a reason. The project got the support of the Thai environmental movement too.
The floating market Damnoen Saduak is the oldest in the outskirts of Bangkok and one of the most crowded too. Around 600 diesel boats run there for tourists. In Thailand there are about 10,000 boats. The harmful emissions they make contaminate water basins, the motor noise scares fish and interferes with daily life of the local people.
If the project succeeds in modernizing at least 50% of the boats equipping them with combined winding motors, new controllers and solar panels, the rivers will become considerably cleaner and life of the locals - much more comfortable. Immense saving of fuel resources is just as important: river transport will be able to operate on solar panels with almost no recharge.
Modernization of boats is advancing at a fast pace. The activities started on November 1 and in just 10 days the boat was presented to the prime minister. There is a high chance of the project getting support on the highest governmental level since it has special significance for the ecology and economy of Thailand.