15 baht flat fares for BTS Skytrain – Transport Minister

The government’s new Transport Minister, Saksayam Chidchob, has reiterated its intention to reign in the costs of the city’s Green Line trains, the BTS Skytrain, around Bangkok. They’re even mooting a capped flat fee of 15 baht per ride. The policy was proposed by the Democrats during the election campaign and accepted as party platform for the new coalition in deals done before the vote for the PM in Parliament in June.

But the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand governor say it can only happen if the government agrees to subsidises the remainder of the costs for the private operators of the rail routes. The governor, Pakapong Sirikantaramas, agreed it would be a bonus for commuters and bring down their public transport costs on the electric train systems around the city but needed to be budgeted as an ongoing cost for the new government.

He said they’re also looking at other alternatives to bring down the high costs of using the BTS Skytrain for commuters. He announced a committee has been set up to evaluate the ‘proper and fair’ fares for the city’s Green Line. The ‘Green Line’ services around the city have grown in popularity by more than 50% in the past decade.

In another policy proposal, legalising Grab Car (widely used but not officially legal as yet), would help relieve the city’s pressure on the train systems. The Bhumjaithai party’s secretary-general Saksayam Chidchob, now head of the transport ministry, has also foreshadowed rolling out policies like allowing students to complete some projects from home and not having to travel to school all the time to help reduce congestion.

Part of his party platform has also promised to oversee all transport projects are contracted out in a transparent and fair manner.