City Bus Fares Rise By One Baht Next Friday

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City bus fares rise by one baht next Friday

Compromise heads off confrontation

BANGKOK: -- City bus fares will increase by one baht on July 8 following a compromise agreement yesterday between the Land Transport Department and private bus operators in Bangkok.

Director-general Piyaphan Champasut said Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit and his deputy, Adisorn Piengkes, had approved the one-baht increase.

Yesterday's meeting followed a rally of private bus operators in Bangkok at the Royal Plaza on Wednesday during which they threatened to unilaterally raise fares by two baht today. The authorities had wanted to put off the increase until July 15. Operators of inter-provincial buses also vowed to increase ticket prices.

As a result, from next Friday Bangkok bus fares will be seven baht for ordinary buses, 10-20 baht for air-conditioned buses and 5.50 baht for minibuses.

Fares for inter-provincial buses will rise by three satang per kilometre, also from next Friday, Mr Piyaphan said.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration hopes to start construction of the BTS electric train system's extension from Mor Chit to Saphan Mai in mid-2006, if the government agrees to contribute more to the project.

Deputy governor Samart Ratchapolsitte said the government had allocated 1.4 billion baht to the BMA to pay for the extended route, but this was only 40% of the total estimated cost.

The BMA will seek support from the government to cover half of the cost and have the private sector pay for the other half, he said.

The Mor Chit-Saphan Mai section will run for 12 kilometres above Phahon Yothin road, with 11 stations.

When the section is complete, the BMA plans to extend it further to the Royal Thai Air Force headquarters, Lam Luk Ka road and Bangkok's eastern ring road. This extension will be 12.2 kilometres long and have six stations.

The BMA is studying the environmental impact and designing the Mor Chit-Saphan Mai extension, Mr Samart said.

The preparation would be complete next year and construction could commence in July.

Apart from the northward extension of the BTS system, the BMA will also ask the government to bear half of the cost of extended routes from Onnuj to Sam Rong, and from Taksin station to Taksin junction in Thon Buri.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-01