River ferry system need not be a joke

LEAVE it to one of the Philippines' economic rivals to (again) demonstrate how easy it actually is to achieve productive innovation: a fleet of 27 electric ferries will soon start plying Bangkok's Chao Phraya River over a 30-kilometer route, connecting Bangkok and nearby Nonthaburi province, thanks to a financing package managed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The project is called the E Smart Bangkok Mass Rapid Transit Electric Ferries Project and is a public-private partnership venture. The ferry system will be built and operated by E Smart Transport Company Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Energy Absolute Public Company Ltd., whose main business is palm oil.