PATHUM THANI — As global oil prices continue to climb amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, a Thai inventor and a retired architect are promoting a device they claim can power vehicles partly with water, reducing fuel consumption by 10 to 30 percent while lowering emissions and improving engine performance.
The "Aquaboost" system, installed in a vehicle's engine bay, is being fitted at a small workshop operating out of a private residence in Khlong Luang district. The operation is run by 76-year-old Prasert Nipatkusol, known locally as "Uncle Sert Khlong Si," a retired architect and graduate of King Mongkut's University of Technology Ladkrabang. According to Prasert, the installation takes about three hours and can be fitted to petrol, diesel, NGV or LPG engines without modifying the vehicle's interior. Costs typically start at 6,500 baht for two sets, with additional units priced at 3,000 baht each.
Prasert said he became interested in fuel-saving solutions after retirement, discovering the concept online before partnering with the device's developer, Phumin Rasmi. The pair began offering installations more formally in late 2025, and a revised version introduced in February 2026 uses electricity to generate heat for improved efficiency. According to Prasert, vehicles fitted with the system show noticeable improvements in acceleration, smoother engine operation and reduced exhaust smoke. He estimates fuel savings of at least 10 percent, though the actual figure depends on factors such as vehicle condition, load and driving behaviour. The device requires refilling with water roughly every six hours, and failure to do so does not damage the engine but temporarily stops the system's effect.
Phumin Rasmi, who holds a vocational diploma in automotive engineering and previously worked at an energy plant in Rayong, explained the science behind the device. He said it works by converting water into vapour and introducing it into the engine's intake manifold, where high engine temperatures cause a reaction that separates hydrogen from oxygen, generating additional energy while lowering engine heat. He also claimed the process leads to more complete combustion, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and particulate pollution. "The innovation is currently only one percent developed," Phumin said, adding that further funding could enable development towards vehicles powered solely by water. The inventor said he has patented the full process and intends to keep the technology in Thailand rather than selling it abroad, hoping to establish a manufacturing base and expand installation capacity nationwide.
The workshop currently operates on a modest scale, capable of handling a maximum of three vehicles per day due to manpower constraints. To scale operations, Prasert plans to train mechanics from local garages, charging for training while supplying equipment at 2,500 baht per set. He said trained partners could either serve local customers or receive referrals from the central operation. The developers have expressed ambitions to eventually integrate the system into vehicles at the manufacturing stage and to export the product globally while generating domestic employment.
However, the claims of improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions have not yet been subjected to independent verification or regulatory assessment. No government agency or independent laboratory has publicly tested the Aquaboost system, and questions remain about the long-term effects of introducing water vapour into engine systems not originally designed for such operation. The device's broader adoption may depend on further testing, investment and potential government support, particularly as Thailand continues to grapple with high energy costs and seeks homegrown solutions to reduce its dependence on imported oil. For now, motorists willing to pay 6,500 baht for a chance at lower fuel bills are finding their way to a small workshop in Pathum Thani, where a retired architect and a young engineer are trying to prove that water and fire can indeed mix.