81 propulsion, operating profiles and maintenance requirements. The next step will be deliberately phased, with Supapan explaining that “the company plans to invest in electric vessels, beginning with small craft for canal tourism or shuttle services between hotels and tourist attractions”. Larger electric passenger boats on the Chao Phraya River would follow, with 10 to 15 river vessels potentially being introduced depending on cost and operational limitations. Retrofitting is also under consideration, particularly because the latest batch of 10 steel vessels could be converted from internal combustion engines to electric propulsion. The company also envisages five to 10 purpose-built electric vessels. Over time, Supapan expects the fleet to comprise both engine-powered and electric craft, with a planned core of around 20 to 30 vessels. As so often with ferry electrification, charging infrastructure will determine how electric craft can be integrated into the timetable. “Charging infrastructure is, of course, a critical matter,” says Supapan. Chao Phraya Express Boat has studied two or three charging locations, covering the route’s northern end around Pak Kret and Nonthaburi, and its southern end around Wat Rajsingkorn. Grid capacity, power management and pier space for charging all remain important considerations. Route length and frequency add complexity because electric operation depends on range between charges. “Route distance, charging time, battery capacity, investment cost and pier infrastructure are all interrelated,” says Supapan. To reduce charging stops, an electric vessel may need sufficient range for two roundtrips, or 40 to 64 kilometres per trip. That means larger batteries, increasing weight, cost and charging time. Hybrid propulsion remains under discussion, with generator sets feeding electric motors and batteries. Supapan says the main limitations for electric vessel services are “the operating range per charge and the charging time”. Supapan’s six years on the Interferry board have reinforced her view that ferry operators around the world face similar questions about safety, standards, environmental performance and business viability. Chao Phraya Express Boat will host the association’s 50th anniversary conference in Bangkok from 31 October to 4 November 2026, and Supapan expects it will be less of a showcase and more an exchange of practical experience. “The single most important issue is safety in navigation in every dimension,” she says. Across the industry, she adds, operators share the need to provide good service, meet passenger expectations, care for the environment, and still achieve sound business results. For Chao Phraya Express Boat, the immediate future is one of careful modernisation: renewing the fleet, fitting cleaner technology into a constrained river, managing peak demand, keeping fares affordable, and operating without subsidy. The setting is distinctive, but the strategic questions are recognisable across the ferry industry. “ The single most important issue is safety in navigation in every dimension” Tourists can enjoy sightseeing from the ferries as they travel down the river
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