I've been denied entry to Thailand - Now What ! ?

[webfact]

Conditions set for free bus and train rides



BANGKOK: -- Free bus and train rides will soon be restricted to only aged people, war veterans, monks, nuns, and the handicapped when the seven-year-old populist policy is to be terminated end of July.

But before this policy is going to end after having cost the state over 24 billion baht since its introduction to the public in August 2008, the Transport Ministry has now set conditions for those eligible for the service free of charge, and for those eligible for half prices.

These conditions will be forwarded to the cabinet to get endorsement before implementation in August this year.

One condition set for free ride is that eligible people must be children and students under 14 years old, elderly people with over 60 years old, war veterans, monks, nuns, and the handicapped.

Half price fare will be for students, unemployed, and low-income earners.

Low income earner entitled for 50% discount is a person who earns less than 2,422 baht a month or less than 29,064 baht per year as defined by the National Economic and Social Development Board, according to the Transport Ministry’s permanent secretary transport Soithip Traisuth after yesterday’s meeting.

She said the figure for low-income people was calculated by the National Economic and Social Development Board in 2011.

She said the proposed conditions, which have to be supported by the Labour Ministry, would be tabled for cabinet approval before the current extension expires on July 31.

Ms Soithip said the Transport Ministry would hold talks with the Labour Ministry for the remaining five months on how to issue a card for low-income people.

The free-to-ride bus project was launched by Mr Samak Sundaravej’s People’s Power Party-led government in 2008 to help low-income people for six months.

It has since been extended every six months by subsequent governments.

But the free service is provided only for regular or “warm” buses. Air-conditioned buses and routes run by private firms are excluded from the scheme.

The policy cost the state about 2.1 billion baht a year, breaking down to 1.58 billion baht for bus, and 524 million for train.

Bankok Mass Transit Authority has commissioned 800 warm buses to provide free services on 73 routes, while the State Railway of Thailand provides 164 third class trains a day to run on suburban routes and long routes to Chiang Mai and Su-Ngai Kolok.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/conditions-set-free-bus-train-rides

-- Thai PBS 2015-02-12

[Mango Bob]

i guess you can say no more free rides.

[lildragon]

Free red bus rides in BKK can be a hair raising experience. Free roller coaster!

[Anthony5]

when the seven-year-old populist policy is to be terminated end of July.

Making place for another load of populist happiness policies from the current rulers?

[worgeordie]

How can the bus conductor tell if someone is unemployed or not,

or how old kids,old people are, this is going to cause some problems

and delays, like a lot of things here ,not well thought through before

they implement it .

regards Worgeordie.

[Loles]

Anyway no-where free bus for all population in the world.

My visitor friends never understand how comes this.

One-time I caught this bus, didn't know it's free, waited the conductor but didn't come ...

[NextStationBangkok]

Definitely it is good for the old people want to travel to one place to another place. To make it easy for the citizens, they can color code the national ID's.

Would be easy to identify who will be eligible for how much discount or free. I feel they should include students traveling on week days should be free too.

But free for everyone is too much freedom, and rest of the people have to pay for free ride!

[BKKdreaming]

Do you have to be Thai and over 60 years old or can we ride free if over 60 years old ?

I often get on these buses , not because they are free but because they showed up first !

and I bet that is why most of the Thai passengers are on that bus too

but its only 8 baht if you have to pay

[doctorproc156]

Low income earner entitled for 50% discount is a person who earns less than 2,422 baht a month or less than 29,064 baht per year as defined by the National Economic and Social Development Board, according to the Transport Ministry’s permanent secretary transport Soithip Traisuth after yesterday’s meeting.

Absolutely ridiculous, that is far too low to be of anything meaningful. Anyone who earns less than 10,000 a month should be classified as a low income earner.

[dragonfly94]

Thank god, I hated having to wait for a free bus with the mrs just to save a few baht. Many times she would wait for one then want to get off as full of poor smelly folks, she also had her bag pick pocketed on one. They are a favorite for thieves, cos they are free I guess.

Edited February 12, 2015 by dragonfly94

[dragonfly94]

Do you have to be Thai and over 60 years old or can we ride free if over 60 years old ?

I often get on these buses , not because they are free but because they showed up first !

and I bet that is why most of the Thai passengers are on that bus too

but its only 8 baht if you have to pay

6.5 on govt bus still I think

[bangkokowl]

I live on a bus route where I have about a 50% chance of getting a free red bus or one costing 6.5 baht. Never had any problems on the buses here, all part and parcel of living here. I do start to feel tall though when I have to stand up on one and notice my head is touching the roof of it!

[draftvader]

Off-topic (and that is being generous) post removed

[WhizBang]

Low income earner entitled for 50% discount is a person who earns less than 2,422 baht a month or less than 29,064 baht per year as defined by the National Economic and Social Development Board, according to the Transport Ministry’s permanent secretary transport Soithip Traisuth after yesterday’s meeting.

Good grief. If that is their definition of 'low income', what is their definition of dirt poor?

People earning that kind of money cannot even afford the transportation with a 50% discount.

[Jonmarleesco]

Insurance companies, despite having all the statistics, are proving very slow in addressing the fact that lifespans are inexorably extending. The same can be said for numerous organisations; including those who persist in viewing over 60s as elderly. BS! Equally, why free for under 14s, monks and nuns (irrespective of age and mobility)? And veterans of which war?

[Nuddy]

Oh wow

I am a Veteran

I wonder if they will accept my veteran card or I'll have to apply for a special pass?

[maidee]

no most expat retired farang could have taken the free bus for years but nobody informed them ? as they are not allowed to work, so they had income less than ...

pension is income ?

[claffey]

Low income earner entitled for 50% discount is a person who earns less than 2,422 baht a month or less than 29,064 baht per year as defined by the National Economic and Social Development Board, according to the Transport Ministry’s permanent secretary transport Soithip Traisuth after yesterday’s meeting.

Absolutely ridiculous, that is far too low to be of anything meaningful. Anyone who earns less than 10,000 a month should be classified as a low income earner.

10,000 a month is closer to the average income so that can't be class as low income. Remember this is Thailand, where you can buy a bowl of noodles for 30-40 baht. Income is relative to the cost of living.....In the UK if you classed low income families as those with an average income it would include all families with income less than about 26,000 pounds! I think the threshold there is a more realistic 16,000 pounds or so....So there's no point is comparing a salary here with pre- conceived ideas or what the average income is. Believe it or not many Thai families survive on what we would perceive as small amounts of money....

[claffey]

Low income earner entitled for 50% discount is a person who earns less than 2,422 baht a month or less than 29,064 baht per year as defined by the National Economic and Social Development Board, according to the Transport Ministry’s permanent secretary transport Soithip Traisuth after yesterday’s meeting.

Good grief. If that is their definition of 'low income', what is their definition of dirt poor?

People earning that kind of money cannot even afford the transportation with a 50% discount.

low income is essentially dirt poor! low income thresholds are usually calculated with the following formula:

Principle: 60% of median income is widely accepted at the primary threshold of income poverty that should be used.

In the Uk the threshols is about 16,000 for a single person and 20,000 for a family with two children....

If you apply this logic to Thailand and factor in the low cost of living I would say that their figure of 2,422 is about right!!

[rubl]

"Low income earner entitled for 50% discount is a person who earns less than 2,422 baht a month or less than 29,064 baht per year as defined by the National Economic and Social Development Board"

With the minimum wage 300 Baht a day, 2,422 Baht means working about EIGHT full days, or 16 halfdays ? Maybe the norms were never adapted after the last minimum wage rises January 2013?

[ratcatcher]

no most expat retired farang could have taken the free bus for years but nobody informed them ? as they are not allowed to work, so they had income less than ...

pension is income ?

"pension is income ?"

Yes.

If it comes into your bank account from abroad it is income. Farangs should not even be concerned with this topic except to sympathize with the people who have such a low income as to make a free bus a necessity rather than an option.

[alantheembalmer]

Do you have to be Thai and over 60 years old or can we ride free if over 60 years old ?

I often get on these buses , not because they are free but because they showed up first !

and I bet that is why most of the Thai passengers are on that bus too

but its only 8 baht if you have to pay

6.5 on govt bus still I think

Maybe the clippy charged him the farang price!

If they are going to charge me, I'm going to send the Council for Peace, Love and Understanding my dental bill. The last time I got on one of these, all my fillings fell out.

[SoFarAndNear]

war veterans? Which wars?!

[dragonfly94]

Do you have to be Thai and over 60 years old or can we ride free if over 60 years old ?

I often get on these buses , not because they are free but because they showed up first !

and I bet that is why most of the Thai passengers are on that bus too

but its only 8 baht if you have to pay

6.5 on govt bus still I think

Maybe the clippy charged him the farang price!

If they are going to charge me, I'm going to send the Council for Peace, Love and Understanding my dental bill. The last time I got on one of these, all my fillings fell out.

it is 8 baht on private non air bus the cream and red are govt buses where it's 6.5, or was. Songtaew are normally 7 baht then many go up to 10 after 9 at night, less passengers so put up price!