Photo Credit: Nivid Technologies
Bangkok is introducing a “Parking Sharing” system that leverages a central digital platform to consolidate and offer vacant parking spaces from both private firms and government agencies. This initiative aims to increase the city’s annual revenue by over 30 million baht by utilizing technologies such as AI-driven ticketless systems and portable payment devices to boost efficiency and minimize revenue loss.
Designed to alleviate traffic and parking issues, the plan maximizes current infrastructure by opening underused parking areas, such as government agency lots on weekends and office parking near event venues, for public access.
The partnership between Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) marks a significant step toward developing a smart-city solution to longstanding urban congestion.
Building on the success of an initial Smart Parking pilot, the full rollout is expected to significantly improve revenue and user experience. The core concept involves aggregating available parking spaces from both private and public sectors onto a single digital platform, eliminating the need for costly new infrastructure.
The pilot projects, which included areas like the Bang Lamphu parking lot and busy streets such as Song Wat Road, demonstrated notable improvements in efficiency and a substantial reduction in revenue leakage. The technologies employed—such as the Cloud Parking POS device for on-street fee collection and an AI-based License Plate Recognition system for seamless entry and exit—proved effective.
Presenting preliminary results to Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and Deputy Governor Assoc. Prof. Wisanu Subsompon, Passakon Prathombutr from depa and Thanaphum Sukanjanasiri of Inflite Co. Ltd. (developer of the ‘Jordsabuy’ or Easy Parking platform) emphasized the system’s success.
The “Parking Sharing” project aims to make underutilized parking spaces available to the public, with key initiatives including:
- Temporary Event Parking: Using unused office parking near major venues like Rajamangala National Stadium during events.
- Weekend Public Access: Opening government-owned parking facilities on weekends and holidays for residents and tourists.
This innovative approach hopes to optimize parking resources, reduce congestion, and generate increased revenue for Bangkok.