China's leading bike-sharing companies have launched operations in Thailand in recent months, according to reports from Xinhua News Agency.

Ofo, known for its signature yellow bikes, announced its expansion into Thailand on July 31.

Thailand is Ofo's fifth overseas market, following Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom and Kazakhstan.

The company said a total of 6,000 bikes would be put into use in the capital city of Bangkok from Aug 1 onwards, after a successful monthlong trial run was completed earlier at a local university.

A ride on an Ofo bike will cost 5 baht ($0.15) per 30 minutes, with a deposit of 99 baht.

The bikes will be offered for free for the first three months.

"Thailand has a population of nearly 70 million and traffic jams have become a big headache in cities such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai," said Cao Xiao, head of Ofo's Asian-Pacific department. "By offering Thai users customized services, we hope the transport system in major Thai cities can be improved with our shared bikes in the near future."

Xinhua also reported that Mobike, another leading Chinese bike-sharing company, has also launched its Thailand business after signing agreements with local partners on Aug 30. The first Mobike services will hit the campus of Kasetsart University in Bangkok in the near future.

China Daily-Xinhua

(China Daily 09/05/2017 page14)