New 20-Baht Rail Fare for Thai Commuters

[webfact]

Photo courtesy of TAT Newsroom

 

Big news for Bangkok commuters! Starting September 30, Thai residents will enjoy rides on the electric rail system for a mere 20 baht per trip. However, there's a catch—it's exclusive for locals, and registration is key.

 

Thai commuters in Bangkok and nearby provinces can get this massive discount on electric railway services, but conditions apply.

 

To snag the 20-baht fare, commuters must register in advance via the Tang Rath app, with the process kicking off in August, as confirmed by Director General Pichet Kunadhamraks of the Department of Rail Transport.

 

Approved contactless payment methods are mandatory for the 20-baht fare, limiting eligible payments to EMV Contactless Cards or Account-Based Ticketing systems like the Rabbit Card. Cash payments won’t qualify, and those lacking the correct cards will be charged the full standard fare.

 

 

 

Foreign tourists, beware: this generous discount doesn’t extend to you. Tourists will have to settle for the full fare, regardless of their payment method, keeping things a bit pricier for visitors while locals benefit.

 

There’s more on the horizon as well, with efforts underway by the Digital Government Development Agency to implement a Central Clearing House system. This new system aims to streamline operations across all electric rail networks, ensuring the 20-baht fare is smoothly integrated.

 

In conclusion, Thai residents can soon ride the rails on the cheap, but it's vital to register promptly in August. For tourists, however, standard pricing remains the norm. 

 

Based on a story by The Thaiger

 

-- 2025-04-10

 

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

57 minutes ago, webfact said:

Foreign tourists, beware: this generous discount doesn’t extend to you

GOOD, so it should be. 👍

[petedk]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

hai residents can soon ride the rails on the cheap, but it's vital to register promptly in August. For tourists, however, standard pricing remains the norm. 

 

From what I gather it isn't "Thai residents", but Thai people and it isn't "tourists", but "foreigners."

[Purdey]

Aliens once again needed for their money only. 

[Grumpy one]

Now sit back and wait for the rush of expats complaining about the cost to them, but are more than happy to pay overinflated bar prices for beer  

[nrasmussen]

Nice, for once, to see a dual-pricing scheme that doesn’t depend on how you look.

[StandardIssue]

Happy to read this. A good step in the right direction for the Thai people. Glad about it. Get them off the roads I tell you!!

[PomPolo]

That't it I am walking to Nana Plaza now, that will show them (I am staying Nana Hotel)

[khunjeff]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai residents will enjoy rides on the electric rail system for a mere 20 baht

 

No, Thai citizens will enjoy the discounted fares. Have a Thai passport, but lived abroad your entire life? 20 baht! Have a foreign passport and lived in Thailand since childhood? Full fare for you! 

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Foreign tourists, beware: this generous discount doesn’t extend to you.

 

And in typical Thai fashion, anyone who isn't Thai can only be a tourist...

[Classic Ray]

Racial discrimination and xenophobia alive and well here!

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, khunjeff said:

anyone who isn't Thai can only be a tourist.

Identified by the Thai Department of Revenue as a resident, pay Thai income tax but no 20 baht discount for you.

 

[Edwin Cameron]

Once again 'Thai Discrimination', here in Queensland Australia,it's 50cents everywhere for everyone,foriegn or local, it helps all and encourages more public transport around city and suburbs,So come on Thailand be nice to all 'Farang and Local'

[Mo Sawadee]

Oh the amount of crying doesn’t stop! I choose to be here but it’s not fair! Boo hoo hoo… 

[ricklev]

Note that they imply they are referring to the BTS system with a picture but no mention of BTS in the article.  

[proton]

No more carriages will be put on of course and it will be even more packed than it is now.

[John Drake]

I stopped doing mass transit during covid. Only taxis now. Just factor these differences in Thai/foreigner fares to the cost of living in Thailand.

[jcmj]

Guess my kids will be buying me the tickets from now on. What a load of BS. 

[steven100]

what next ....   different prices for a Zinger burger at KFC ..  

[MalcolmB]

17 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Racial discrimination and xenophobia alive and well here!

None of the woke nonsense you get in the West.

[damian]

15 hours ago, Mo Sawadee said:

Oh the amount of crying doesn’t stop! I choose to be here but it’s not fair! Boo hoo hoo… 

Try looking a little deeper into the issue. 

 

To those that live here legally and permanently, have a family here, educate their kids here, work here, spend their money here and pay taxes here, it isn't fair.  

[Caldera]

What they failed to make clear is if "Thai residents" means "residents of Thailand" which would include some foreigners or "Thai nationals" which would exclude them. The example given (foreign tourists being excluded) isn't really helpful to determine that.

 

As the BTS and the MRT currently have different policies on whether the discount for the elderly applies to foreigners, that's quite an important distinction.

[petedk]

On 4/11/2025 at 7:23 AM, jcmj said:

Guess my kids will be buying me the tickets from now on. What a load of BS. 

 

I tried that with the "elder card", but apparently the lamp on the entrance gate lights up in different comours according to the ticket. I was stopped and the security card confiscated my card I had just added 500 baht), so I asked for a refund. "No, you steal from BTS. You have big problem.", even though I spoke Thai to them. Anyway, it ended with me buying a new Rabbit card.

[Mr Meeseeks]

On 4/11/2025 at 9:26 AM, damian said:

Try looking a little deeper into the issue. 

 

To those that live here legally and permanently, have a family here, educate their kids here, work here, spend their money here and pay taxes here, it isn't fair.  

 

You are not here permanently unless you have permanent residency or Thai citizenship.

 

Most of us are long term tourists or visitors on non-immigrant visas, which are temporary and renewed periodically.

 

This is an important distinction.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 4/10/2025 at 2:34 PM, Srikcir said:

Identified by the Thai Department of Revenue as a resident, pay Thai income tax but no 20 baht discount for you.

 

The OP is not referencing Thai residents, it's referencing registered Thai residents, income tax payers or not.  

[Liverpool Lou]

On 4/10/2025 at 4:02 PM, Edwin Cameron said:

Once again 'Thai Discrimination'

Once again, Thailand financially assisting those who need it, not whinging 'kin foreigner expats!

[Liverpool Lou]

On 4/10/2025 at 6:01 PM, ricklev said:

Note that they imply they are referring to the BTS system with a picture but no mention of BTS in the article.  

Note that by their referencing commuter electric train services, the BTS's Rabbit card, and the pictured BTS, the Skytrain is, very obviously, included.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 4/10/2025 at 7:51 PM, proton said:

No more carriages will be put on of course and it will be even more packed than it is now.

Gawd...

[Liverpool Lou]

On 4/11/2025 at 7:23 AM, jcmj said:

Guess my kids will be buying me the tickets from now on. What a load of BS. 

They'll only be buying discounted tickets for the registered name.

[Liverpool Lou]

23 hours ago, Caldera said:

What they failed to make clear is if "Thai residents" means "residents of Thailand" which would include some foreigners or "Thai nationals" which would exclude them. The example given (foreign tourists being excluded) isn't really helpful to determine that.

 

As the BTS and the MRT currently have different policies on whether the discount for the elderly applies to foreigners, that's quite an important distinction.

It's very clear that it is for Thais only.  Current BTS/MRT differences are irrelevant to the new scheme that they will both be part of, you know, electric commuter train services, as the OP stated.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, petedk said:

 

I tried that with the "elder card", but apparently the lamp on the entrance gate lights up in different comours according to the ticket. I was stopped and the security card confiscated my card I had just added 500 baht), so I asked for a refund. "No, you steal from BTS. You have big problem.", even though I spoke Thai to them. Anyway, it ended with me buying a new Rabbit card.

How come?   The "Elder Card" does not apply to the BTS system.