Subway Raises Fares, Passengers Unhappy

[Jai Dee]

BMCL decides to adjust its ticket price

An official from Bangkok Metro Public Co., Ltd. (BMCL), Mr. Chartchai Praditpong(ชาติชาย ประดิษพงษ์) revealed that from today (03/07/06) onwards, the company will adjust it fares.

The fares for general passengers will range from 15-39 baht, whereas from children and adults, the prices will range from 8-20 baht.

He said such adjustment is made according to the concession contract. However, Mr. Chartchai said BMCL would like to alleviate burden of people by launching promotional campaign by reducing the charges by 15 percent for passengers who own prepaid tickets and 30 percent for general passengers.

The fares for passengers who own prepaid tickets will be 13-33 baht for general passengers, 10.27 baht for students and 8-20 baht for children and adults.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 July 2006

[george]

Subway raises fares, passengers unhappy

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok's underground train system has raised its fares from Bt14-36 to Bt15-39 depending on distances, effective from July 3.

Crowds of passengers still flocked to use the city's subway during the rush hours Monday morning, but most of them said they were unaware of the new fare rise, according to TNA reporter.

The passengers conceded that the fare hike, amid rising costs of living currently, would inevitably affect them, especially those who normally rely on the subway services on longer distances.

They urged the operator of the subway system to run the underground train more frequently, particularly during the rush hours in the mornings and in the evenings to sufficiently serve increased demand.

The passengers also asked that the government speedily extend the subway system to cover all major parts of the capital and its surrounding areas.

--TNA 2006-07-03

[Jai Dee]

Subway operator defiant on fare rise

Bangkok’s subway system operator will not back down on yesterday’s fare hike, despite lacking Cabinet approval and facing public complaints about the short notice.

The increase, which saw fares rise between one and three baht depending on the distance travelled, was announced by the Bangkok Metro Plc (BMCL) at the weekend but some said they were taken by surprise due to the lack of publicity over the move.

Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal told reporters that the fare increase was allowed under the terms of the company’s concession agreement with the ministry, although it should have received Cabinet approval before being put into effect.

The ministry will submit the proposal to the Cabinet today to retroactively approve the hike, he added.

The BMCL, the Transport Ministry and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) – the government agency responsible for overseeing public transportation – had previously been engaged in talks about fare increases but had not reached any agreement on procedures.

The company defended its action yesterday, saying it was within its contract rights and had given adequate notice to passengers. “We did place ads in the stations, and on our web site, as well as hand out leaflets to passengers for the past two weeks,” said a BMCL public relations spokesperson.

Source: ThaiDay - 04 July 2006

[Chang_paarp]

BMCL decides to adjust its ticket price

An official from Bangkok Metro Public Co., Ltd. (BMCL), Mr. Chartchai Praditpong(ชาติชาย ประดิษพงษ์) revealed that from today (03/07/06) onwards, the company will adjust it fares.

The fares for general passengers will range from 15-39 baht, whereas from children and adults, the prices will range from 8-20 baht.

He said such adjustment is made according to the concession contract. However, Mr. Chartchai said BMCL would like to alleviate burden of people by launching promotional campaign by reducing the charges by 15 percent for passengers who own prepaid tickets and 30 percent for general passengers.

The fares for passengers who own prepaid tickets will be 13-33 baht for general passengers, 10.27 baht for students and 8-20 baht for children and adults.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 July 2006

What is a general passenger if they are not children or adults?

Is it a special fare for aliens or do they forsee freight? It appears they can afford to pay more.

[Lacoste]

BMCL decides to adjust its ticket price

An official from Bangkok Metro Public Co., Ltd. (BMCL), Mr. Chartchai Praditpong(ชาติชาย ประดิษพงษ์) revealed that from today (03/07/06) onwards, the company will adjust it fares.

The fares for general passengers will range from 15-39 baht, whereas from children and adults, the prices will range from 8-20 baht.

He said such adjustment is made according to the concession contract. However, Mr. Chartchai said BMCL would like to alleviate burden of people by launching promotional campaign by reducing the charges by 15 percent for passengers who own prepaid tickets and 30 percent for general passengers.

The fares for passengers who own prepaid tickets will be 13-33 baht for general passengers, 10.27 baht for students and 8-20 baht for children and adults.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 July 2006

What is a general passenger if they are not children or adults?

Is it a special fare for aliens or do they forsee freight? It appears they can afford to pay more.

I was wondering much the same.

[Jai Dee]

Riders get a month’s notice of fare hike

The Cabinet yesterday approved a fare hike for the city’s subway system, but told the operator it would have to wait another month before implementing the new rates.

The increase went into effect on Monday – the underground system’s second anniversary – but the government has ordered Bangkok Metro Co Ltd (BMCL), which runs the underground system, to keep fares at pre-hike levels until August to comply with the 30-day-notice period required by law.

“The fare increase will have to be suspended until a new announcement informing the public is carried out,” said government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee.

The fare hike of between one and three baht led to some complaints from passengers who said they had not been given advance warning of the fare increases.

However, BMCL defended its action, saying that under the concession agreement agreed with the government, it was entitled to raise fares after being operational for two years. A BMCL spokesman said it had placed notices in the stations and had been handing out flyers to commuters for the last two weeks informing them about the new fares.

However, the acting governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority called Monday’s increase “illegal” and that BMCL must explore ways to reimburse riders who had overpaid.

A BMCL public relations spokesman said she could not comment on whether, or how, they would offer refunds to passengers.

The underground system was opened two years ago at a cost of nearly 100 billion baht. BMCL operates the system under a 25-year concession agreement with the MRTA.

BMCL suffered another blow yesterday when it had to temporarily suspend train services due to faulty brakes on two of its trains.

According to a spokesman for BMCL, a train broke down in Klong Toei station in the early afternoon because of brake problems. When engineers sent another train to tow it away, that one also experienced brake problems, disrupting services for more than two hours.

Source: ThaiDay - 5 July 2006