The Department of Land Transport (DLT) has moved to dispel confusion over a proposed regulation introducing distinctive licence plates for electric vehicles (EVs), saying owners of existing EVs will not be required to replace their current plates.
DLT director-general Sorapong Paitoonpong said the draft ministerial regulation remains under public consultation and has not yet taken legal effect.
"The department will not require electric vehicles that have already been registered to change to new licence plates. Vehicle owners may continue using their existing registration plates as normal," he said.
The proposal would update regulations governing the size, design and colour of vehicle registration plates to accommodate the growing number of EVs on Thai roads.
Under the draft, newly registered private electric cars and motorcycles would receive licence plates with a reflective blue background. Public-service and specialised-use EVs would continue using their existing plate colours but would display a special identifying mark.
Existing EVs, including those with auction plates and standard white-background plates, would not need replacement plates. Instead, owners would be required to add the identifying mark within one year of the regulation taking effect.
Mr Sorapong said the measure would allow rescue workers, emergency responders and other officials to immediately identify EVs involved in accidents and apply appropriate procedures for handling high-voltage batteries.
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