TCC Opposes Pricey Fares for Green Line Extension

[webfact]

 

by Krajangwit Johjit

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) said it disagreed with the recent decision by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to start collecting variable fares beginning at 14 baht on the Green Line’s second-phase extensions.

 

Assistant Secretary of the TCC’s public transportation subcommittee Kongsak Chuenkrailart stated that the announced fare range of 14 to 44 baht for the second-phase extension of the Green Line would raise the transportation burden on customers.

 

Kongsak urged the BMA to implement a flat-rate fare of 10 to 15 baht per side for the second-phase extension to be affordable for low-income passengers. He added that the Bearing to Samut Prakan and Mo Chit to Khu Khot second-phase expansions pass through low-income neighborhoods. For many commuters, paying up to 44 baht for a Skytrain ride on the expansion would be prohibitively expensive.

 

The Green Line, which is managed by Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC), consists of two primary routes: Silom and Sukhumvit. On the Silom route, the first extension runs from Wong Wian Yai to Bang Wa, while the first extension on the Sukhumvit route extends from On Nut to Bearing.

 

The TCC polled the opinions of 3,204 individuals and concluded that 96% of respondents believed that the initial cost of 14 baht plus 2 baht per station along the route from Ku Kot to Mo Chit would be too expensive for the majority of passengers, given that the route consists of 21 stations.

 

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG220811113631835

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-08-11

 

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[tomazbodner]

How about letting the operator who coughed up the money to build the tracks dictate what using of the trains costs instead of controlling the price like a communist country?

 

If the price is too high, people can't afford it, they stop using it. BTSC re-evaluates and puts up promotions or lowers the ticket costs. Or stops the service. It's up to them, it's their track and their trains.

[khunjeff]

1 hour ago, tomazbodner said:

BTSC re-evaluates and puts up promotions or lowers the ticket costs. Or stops the service. It's up to them, it's their track and their trains.

It's not their tracks or their trains - those all belong to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). BTSC just has a concession from the BMA to operate the system (BTSC also built the original part of the network, but that's irrelevant at this point).

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

Kongsak urged the BMA to implement a flat-rate fare of 10 to 15 baht per side for the second-phase extension to be affordable for low-income passengers. He added that the Bearing to Samut Prakan and Mo Chit to Khu Khot second-phase expansions pass through low-income neighborhoods. For many commuters, paying up to 44 baht for a Skytrain ride on the expansion would be prohibitively expensive.

The cost of building the train service and maintaining it costs money, and any business must match that and make a profit on top.

However the cost per ticket is said to be too expensive?

Maybe the issue is low income, salaries not in-line with the cost of living?