Free Bus, Train Services To Be Extended

[Lite Beer]

Free bus, train services to be extended

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK:-- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the free bus and train services and free electricity will be extended while the number of Blue Flag shops selling inexpensive products will be increased to help alleviate the problem of price rises faced by the people.

The rise in the price of commodities was the main topic in yesterday's weekly talk show "The Yingluck Government Meets the People". Yingluck said the problem of price rises was the result of last year's catastrophic floods, which adversely affected production. She said some factories are yet to see their production return to normal, leading to short supply of goods. Factories that were hit by the floods are expected to return to full production capacity in June.

The price rise has also been caused by speculation as consumers and suppliers start hoarding goods, fearing a rise in the prices of consumer products because of the flooding.

The Commerce Ministry will tackle the price rises by announcing the suggested price of goods using prices quoted by Blue Flag shops.

"The government does not want to sell goods, but we just want to give the public an option and establish a fair price," she said.

To deal with the issue of oversupply of eggs in the short term, the government will focus on the food-processing sector. Import of more palm oil is also in the pipeline to solve the shortage in the short term.

Yingluck said she has asked all government agencies to reduce power consumption by 10 per cent and vowed to promote alternative energy. She said the increase in the price of energy would be only short term.

Suranand Vejjajiva, personal spokesman to the PM, said the government was confident that inflation, which had been caused by the floods, was in control and the problem was only short term. He said Commerce Ministry reports showed that prices of consumer products were not as high as the Opposition was making them out to be.

He urged the Opposition to present accurate information otherwise it could cause panic among the public and lead to hoarding of goods followed by a vicious circle of goods shortages and price increases.

Opposition Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the increase in prices of consumer goods was caused by the government's mismanagement of power policies, especially the Oil Fund, which had helped absorb the oil price that adds to the cost of production.

Suranand said rising oil price was a worldwide problem and the government is managing the issue and alleviating the load on the public by suspending taxation and further providing public welfare.

-- The Nation 2012-03-18

[FOODLOVER]

Good, tired of riding the short bus.

[Grumbles]

I never cease to be amazed at opposition spokespeople who blame incumbent governments for the rise in fuel costs and other essential commodoties.

Most of these increases come about by the mismanagement of these resources over many years by governments run by all the various parties.

Surely they must realize that any thinking person can see they are talking sh#@t, because they've all had a hand in it.

I feel that they are showing contempt to their electorate if they think we believe their political rhetoric.

N.B. I am referring to all governments here, not just the Thai government.

[anterian]

I never cease to be amazed at opposition spokespeople who blame incumbent governments for the rise in fuel costs and other essential commodoties.

Most of these increases come about by the mismanagement of these resources over many years by governments run by all the various parties.

Surely they must realize that any thinking person can see they are talking sh#@t, because they've all had a hand in it.

I feel that they are showing contempt to their electorate if they think we believe their political rhetoric.

N.B. I am referring to all governments here, not just the Thai government.

"I feel that they are showing contempt to their electorate", show me a government which doesn't, the only differences is the degree of blatancy involved.

[londonthai]

"To deal with the issue of oversupply of eggs in the short term ... Import of more palm oil is also in the pipeline to solve the shortage in the short term."

don't see the reason, why the government should worry about oversupply - the price will eventually fall and consumption will rise.

within the last few days I was at many supermarkets and shelves are full of different oils, including palm oil. No need to import more, people can use the other oils, equally good and cheap.

So far I haven't heard about free trains in thailand

[OzMick]

An oversupply of eggs? I tremble in anticipation of Yingluk saying "Let them eat cake!"

[nong38]

There is no free bus or train to Bangkok to do my discount shopping, so what good is that to locals and there are no blue flag shops here. Is Thailand just Bangkok and Issan?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Have I been missing something? I haven't heard anything previously about free train and bus services...

Of course the article above leads with that info... And then says absolutely nothing further about it in the rest of the article. Extended until when? Free services where and of what kind?

[hyperdimension]

A while ago I bought a train ticket to Aranyaprathet. The Thais (maybe even some Cambodians) got free tickets, but I was asked to pay. damned racists!

Edited March 19, 2012 by hyperdimension

[jaiyenyen]

My wife and I were without our car recently, due to flood damage. We started using the bus service. Many times she would say " Come on, let's get this one, it's free". So they do exist, it's just a matter of identifying them.

Last year we took a train to Kanchanaburi, wife and kids were free, I had to pay 100bht.