Bangkok-based rail operators welcome new minister's pledge to slash fares

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Bangkok-based rail operators welcome new minister's pledge to slash fares

By THE NATION

 

 

Private and state-owned metropolitan train operators have welcomed Transport Minister Saksiam Chidchob’s pledge to reduce rail fares to Bt15.

 

While the precise details of the new fares have not yet been announced, Bangkok Mass Transit System Executive Director Anat Arbhabhirama said he welcomed the idea and that his company, which operates Bangkok’s BTS “skytrains”, would cooperate with whatever the new government decided.

 

The Department of Rail Transport said that the fare reduction in state-owned services could be implemented immediately. Director-general Sarawut Songsivilai added that fares on the Airport Rail Link and the underground Purple Line trains, from Tao Poon to Bangyai, would be the first to be cut, if ordered.

 

Pakapong Sirikantaramas, director of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, said the operator of Bangkok’s subway network would know more clearly how the fees would be implemented or subsidised by the government once the Transport Ministry had released more details of its proposed reductions.

 

The Ministry has set up a committee to study the feasibility of Saksiam’s proposal, which has been welcomed widely on social media outlets but dismissed as impractical by political analysts.

 

Saksiam said a meeting comprising 23 government agencies would be soon called to discuss the fare reduction.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30373399

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand  2019-07-22

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[cnx355]

4 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Airport link is already running out of cash. Only way their fares can be reduced is if government directly subsidies them.

About time time they put back the real express service ( they cannibalize those car to make them regular cuty  car )   Airport to Skytrain in less than 20 minutes before.

 

Frequency 20 minutes but in the last year they used them almost 1 hour because they had the cars transferred to city Line.  I know I missed one and It was faster to go by taxi than wait 1 hour for Last one the >EXPRESS> 

 

Who want to want almost 1 hour to get an express train.

 

They should go and check Hong Kong, Singapore  and  Kuala Lumpur  to learn to operate Airport link

 

They killed the service.  Frequency  is the most important.

[Searat7]

5 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Airport link is already running out of cash. Only way their fares can be reduced is if government directly subsidies them.

The fares charged now have not been changed since the Airport Link opened and I think they are reasonable with a maximum fare of 45b from airport to Phaya Thai. This service should really be operated by BTS, not the incompetent SRT. Both the BTS and MRT will expect huge subsidies from the government if substantial fare reductions are implemented. Maybe farang will have to pay the full price.