Koh Chang ferry operators raise fares as diesel climbs

Petch PetpailinPublished: April 8, 2026, 11:32 AM

82 2 minutes read

Koh Chang ferry operators raise fares as diesel climbs | Thaiger — Photo via Matichon

Koh Chang ferry fares will increase from April 10 after operators secured approval for the first price rise in 10 years, citing energy crisis.

Trat Governor Piriya Chatadilok met ferry operators serving routes from the mainland to Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kood to discuss rising operating costs. According to the latest fuel price update today, April 8, diesel was priced at 50.54 baht per litre.

Representatives of Koh Chang ferry operators said fares had not increased for a decade, despite gradual rises in fuel prices since 2016. They said the latest surge in fuel costs had placed significant pressure on operations and led them to seek approval for higher fares.

The governor approved the revised Koh Chang ferry fare, which will take effect on April 10. The new rates agreed at the meeting are:

Adults: 130 baht (from 80 baht)
Children and monks: 70 baht (from 30 baht)
Motorcycles: 130 baht (from 40 baht)
Sidecar motorcycles: 200 baht (from 80 baht)
Four-wheel cars: 280 baht (from 120 baht)
Six-wheel cars: 1,000 baht (from 450 baht)
10-wheel cars: 1,600 baht (from 900 baht)
18-wheel trailers: 3,200 baht (from 1,800 baht)

Operators said the higher fares would be accompanied by better service. They pledged to revise sailing schedules to reduce passenger waiting times.

According to Matichon, operators on routes to Koh Mak and Koh Kood have not yet agreed on suitable fare levels. Further meetings will be held to discuss fares for those destinations.

The Koh Chang ferry fare increase follows similar announcements from ferry and boat operators in other parts of Thailand. Services from Don Sak Pier in Surat Thani to Koh Samui rose from 180 baht to 210 baht, while fares to Koh Pha Ngan increased from 250 baht to 280 baht.

In Phuket, round-trip ferry and speedboat to Koh Phi Phi, as well as boat tour packages in the area, increased by 200 baht.

Koh Chang Ferry fare raise — Photo via Matichon

In Bangkok, the Chao Phraya Express Boat announced in March that fares would rise from 14 to 33 baht to 16 to 35 baht on services between Nonthaburi and Bangkok.

Operators on the Saen Saep canal also raised fares by 3 baht and said they would continue to increase them every Tuesday. Fares will rise by another 3 baht on April 14, followed by a further 1 baht increase on April 21.

Chaowalit Maethaprapas, managing director of the canal boat operator, told Channel 7 that the higher fares still did not fully reflect the real increase in fuel costs. He added that further fare rises were possible, but said the company would reduce fares if fuel prices fall.

Ferry fare raises from Trat to Koh Chang — Photo via Matichon

Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.