TRANSPORT RISING FUEL PRICES

Private bus firms to hike fares

BANGKOK: -- Operators of private passenger buses and mini buses will increase fares by one baht from Oct 19 even if their new fare proposal is rejected by the government. They vowed to go ahead with the fare increase whether they win approval from the state or not, citing rising fuel costs. If they are caught in a crackdown, they will just put a halt to their services.

A group of bus, mini-bus and passenger van operators yesterday submitted a petition to Deputy Transport Minister Gen Chainant Charoensiri asking for a fare hike.

They demanded fares for non-airconditioned passenger buses be raised to 8 baht from 7, mini buses to 6.50 baht from 5.50 baht, and a 2-baht increase for air-conditioned buses and a five-baht hike for passenger vans. Gen Chainant said it was the ministry's policy to freeze fares of all modes of public transport until the end of the year.

As the bus operators claimed they could not shoulder the rising fuel costs, the ministry may introduce some measures to help offset the impact. He will forward the matter to the cabinet today to find ways to help the operators.

Apiwut Thongkham, chairman of the association of private bus operators, said many operators were operating at a loss due to the high fuel prices.

He said the government should consider measures to ease the problems of the bus operators because rising fuel costs were eating into their income and profits. ``Their plight was worsening''.

--Bangkok Post 2005-10-11

Fare&Squeare

Similar than Air liner's, why should busses and vans to be different