Rural Roads demands BMA pave the way with late 197.9m baht fee
The Rural Roads Department urged the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to settle an outstanding payment of 197.9 million baht in land lease fees. These fees cover the use of three specific areas, including a portion of Ratchaphruek Road, and for the construction of two electric railway lines.
Pichit Hoonsiri, the department’s deputy director-general, mentioned that the department sent a formal notice to the BMA regarding the unpaid fees. Under a Transport Ministry regulation enacted on January 1, 2022, the ministry is permitted to charge government agencies for the use of land designated for road construction.
The BMA has been using part of Ratchaphruek Road for the construction of the Green Line railway, running between Thon Buri and Bang Wa stations. The BMA currently owes 64.698 million baht in lease fees for this project, as well as an additional 177.523 million baht for the period from 2022 to September this year.
Additionally, the BMA is responsible for 400,000 baht in fees for using around 2,000 square meters of the road island on Ratchaphruek Road for the construction of a power station near Bang Wa station.
Moreover, the department is seeking 20 million baht from the BMA for using parts of Krung Thon Buri and Charoen Nakhon Roads to construct the Gold Line. This amount is based on an annual lease fee of 6.295 million baht from 2022 to the present.
In related news, Bangkok is scrambling to settle a colossal 14-billion-baht debt to the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC). The Bangkok Council has taken a crucial step, setting up a special committee to scrutinise a draft ordinance allowing the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to access emergency funds.
In other news, Thailand’s Ministry of Finance is set to review the criteria for the State Welfare Card registration, aiming to exclude ineligible individuals after finding some recipients receiving as much as 10,000 baht per month in benefits.
