SRT to increase train fares within three months

BANGKOK: -- The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will 'slightly' increase train fares within the next three months, saying that it could not shoulder the hefty burden from increased diesel prices, a senior SRT official said Tuesday. He did not specify the increases.

SRT Governor Chirsanti Dhanasobhon said that during the next three months the State Railway must

adjust all classes of train fares in response to the higher cost of diesel fuel.

The Ministry of Energy last month took 'a brave move', Governor Chirsanti said, by raising the retail price of diesel by Bt3.0 per litre in a bid to cut the state oil subsidy bill.

But following the government's increasing the oil price, he said, the SRT was forced to shoulder an additional fuel cost Bt800,000 (US$20,000) daily, which is too great a burden for the State Railway.

However, he said, the SRT needed to raise the fare only slightly because its revenue is increasinmg as more passengers are using train services due to the oil price hike.

As for the train service during the Songkran Festival holiday period, the SRT governor said he had ordered an increased numbers of trains for the northern and northeastern lines.

"No passengers will be stranded at stations in Bangkok," he said. "I guarantee it."

Governor Chirsanti said that the SRT has prepared an additional 12 trains to bring passengers back to Bangkok on April 17th.

--TNA 2005-04-13

We'll see. The SRT has been trying to increase train fares for at least the last five years and have always been denied an increase by whichever government authority regulates this. The SRT have been able to instutute de-facto increases all the while by adding to the various surcharges associated with the different types of trains. Expect more of the same with this.