The project to change the infrastructure at the park will begin immediately. The ministry says it hopes to complete it by the end of the year in time for official inauguration ceremonies in January.
The changeover requires the inner orbital road to be restored and the opening of one main entrance through which all visitors will pass. At present, there are multiple entry points and at some of them motorists can just drive in and park up as they please.
The ban on private cars at Sukhothai Historical Park will require tourists to make use of a new electric trolley bus service, rent a bicycle or walk. The park’s management is set to establish 10 designated stops for the trolley buses.
A Culture Ministry representative said that eventually it will ban cars from all historic sites in the country in an effort to become more environmentally friendly. After Sukhothai, the smaller collections of ruins at Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet are next on the list for redesignation.
The Sukhothai ruins are about 12kms from Sukhothai New Town. 12GO ASIA provides a convenient ticket reservations service for buses to Sukhothai in addition to trains and buses for Phitsanulok.
Sukhothai Historical Park to ban petrol and diesel vehicles
News in Asia
Thailand’s Culture Ministry has selected Sukhothai as the first attraction in the nation to be turned into a low-carbon location. The new designation will see all petrol and diesel powered vehicles banned from the grounds of the UNESCO listed historical park.