BTS to revoke discounted fares for Rabbit card holders

[webfact]

Rubbish Rabbit: BTS to revoke discounted fares for card holders
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- It will no longer be cheaper to swipe through the BTS barrier with a Rabbit card as the company announced it will revoke discounted fares for the Rabbit cards and Sky Smartpasses at the end of this year.

The promotion for the two top-up cards, which allows commuters to save a few baht per trip, will end on Jan. 1.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/12/09/rubbish-rabbit-bts-revoke-discounted-fares-card-holders


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-12-09

[kkerry]

Even without the discount it still makes more sense than buying a ticket for each trip. I can't believe how so many people still line up during peak hour, day after day rather than purchasing a Rabbit card.

Edited December 9, 2015 by kkerry

[samsensam]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

[american12bthai]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

i dont think the locals in thailand understand the concept of cash... vs credit. havent you noticed that everysingle account you open in a bank is a SAVING ACCOUNT? thais are taught NEVER TO SAVE. but are encouraged to spend their savings.

[petedk]

Even without the discount it still makes more sense than buying a ticket for each trip. I can't believe how so many people still line up during peak hour, day after day rather than purchasing a Rabbit card.

I agree entirely. I always top up as I go out and in off peak hours.

Actually I didn't know there was a discount on an ordinary top up card.

I have 2 cards. One is a 25 (or however many) trip card and i have to pay an extra 10 baht anyway as I travel to Bang Wa.

The other is a top up for small journeys.

I sometimes travel with friends who have to buy tickets and the queue can be really long.

Sometimes there are faulty machines and you see people shoving the same 5 baht coin in the automat again and again.

Edited December 9, 2015 by petedk

[catterwell]

But the Adult card (as shown in the picture) will remain valid, although the terms and conditions might change.

[bangkapi]

OMG.. Next thing will be negative interest rates in savings accounts at the banks!

[millwall_fan]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

i dont think the locals in thailand understand the concept of cash... vs credit. havent you noticed that everysingle account you open in a bank is a SAVING ACCOUNT? thais are taught NEVER TO SAVE. but are encouraged to spend their savings.

It's obviously easy for you, but to the average Thai who earns the minimum wage of 300 B a day, the 'issuing fee' of 150 Baht, and the 'deposit' of 50 B, making 200 Baht, it represents a much larger outlay. I think the minimum wage in UK is £6.75 an hour so £54 for an 8 hour day. I wonder how many Londoners would buy an Oyster card if the upfront cost - with no actual travel credit - cost £36 (US$55).

[Estrada]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

i dont think the locals in thailand understand the concept of cash... vs credit. havent you noticed that everysingle account you open in a bank is a SAVING ACCOUNT? thais are taught NEVER TO SAVE. but are encouraged to spend their savings.

It's obviously easy for you, but to the average Thai who earns the minimum wage of 300 B a day, the 'issuing fee' of 150 Baht, and the 'deposit' of 50 B, making 200 Baht, it represents a much larger outlay. I think the minimum wage in UK is £6.75 an hour so £54 for an 8 hour day. I wonder how many Londoners would buy an Oyster card if the upfront cost - with no actual travel credit - cost £36 (US$55).

The current issuing fee is B50 at least until 31st December 2015. The deposit is refundable, so the total is B50. Mine was free and came with a complimentary stored value of B500.

[sanukjim]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

i dont think the locals in thailand understand the concept of cash... vs credit. havent you noticed that everysingle account you open in a bank is a SAVING ACCOUNT? thais are taught NEVER TO SAVE. but are encouraged to spend their savings.

It's obviously easy for you, but to the average Thai who earns the minimum wage of 300 B a day, the 'issuing fee' of 150 Baht, and the 'deposit' of 50 B, making 200 Baht, it represents a much larger outlay. I think the minimum wage in UK is £6.75 an hour so £54 for an 8 hour day. I wonder how many Londoners would buy an Oyster card if the upfront cost - with no actual travel credit - cost £36 (US$55).

I know of many Thais that would love to make that 300 baht a day you are referring to.

[bangon04]

Of course it would make sense if the Rabbit Card could be used on all public transport, all toll roads, and for small purchases.

If they are serious about moving to a cashless society, then they only have to look as far as Hong Kong and the Octopus card to see how to do it.

Or they can muddle on as usual......

[TokyoSexWhale]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

i dont think the locals in thailand understand the concept of cash... vs credit. havent you noticed that everysingle account you open in a bank is a SAVING ACCOUNT? thais are taught NEVER TO SAVE. but are encouraged to spend their savings.

It's obviously easy for you, but to the average Thai who earns the minimum wage of 300 B a day, the 'issuing fee' of 150 Baht, and the 'deposit' of 50 B, making 200 Baht, it represents a much larger outlay. I think the minimum wage in UK is £6.75 an hour so £54 for an 8 hour day. I wonder how many Londoners would buy an Oyster card if the upfront cost - with no actual travel credit - cost £36 (US$55).

I know of many Thais that would love to make that 300 baht a day you are referring to.

It is nearly impossible not to find work in Bangkok. Everyone is hiring. You have to be literally useless and unwilling to work to be unemployed in Bangkok.

[spidermike007]

Even without the discount it still makes more sense than buying a ticket for each trip. I can't believe how so many people still line up during peak hour, day after day rather than purchasing a Rabbit card.

True that. It is still quite reasonable. And those lines to buy a single card? At Siam, at certain hours, that line must be 30 minutes long. Why would somebody inflict that kind of pain on oneself, if you do not have to? I love those rabbit cards. The convenience is worth paying a premium, so the lack of a discount does not bother me one iota. And those rabbit cards can be used to pay for countless other things, besides transport on the skytrain, which in and of itself is a miraculous thing, and one of my favorite aspects of Bangkok.

[impulse]

I love my Rabbit card instead of waiting in line, but I think they played a dirty trick on parents when they started accepting it for other purchases.

Between youthful indiscretions and peer pressure, I wonder how many kids have blown their balance on crap at McDonald's and all the other places that accept them- instead of getting to class as their parents intended.

[h90]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

i dont think the locals in thailand understand the concept of cash... vs credit. havent you noticed that everysingle account you open in a bank is a SAVING ACCOUNT? thais are taught NEVER TO SAVE. but are encouraged to spend their savings.

It's obviously easy for you, but to the average Thai who earns the minimum wage of 300 B a day, the 'issuing fee' of 150 Baht, and the 'deposit' of 50 B, making 200 Baht, it represents a much larger outlay. I think the minimum wage in UK is £6.75 an hour so £54 for an 8 hour day. I wonder how many Londoners would buy an Oyster card if the upfront cost - with no actual travel credit - cost £36 (US$55).

In Bangkok you won't find many minimum wage earner and they don't use bts as transportation. It is more a transport for the wealthy and way overpriced.

[mercman24]

new stations to pay for, every little helps

[bark]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

i dont think the locals in thailand understand the concept of cash... vs credit. havent you noticed that everysingle account you open in a bank is a SAVING ACCOUNT? thais are taught NEVER TO SAVE. but are encouraged to spend their savings.

It's obviously easy for you, but to the average Thai who earns the minimum wage of 300 B a day, the 'issuing fee' of 150 Baht, and the 'deposit' of 50 B, making 200 Baht, it represents a much larger outlay. I think the minimum wage in UK is £6.75 an hour so £54 for an 8 hour day. I wonder how many Londoners would buy an Oyster card if the upfront cost - with no actual travel credit - cost £36 (US$55).

The current issuing fee is B50 at least until 31st December 2015. The deposit is refundable, so the total is B50. Mine was free and came with a complimentary stored value of B500.

I agree. It is not the cost of the card, or the 100 baht minimum top up charge. The Thai's do not care about the 5 minutes standing in line. Time does not matter to most Thai people. If they are late for meeting, work, or meeting their friends. They just say TRAFFIC. No one cares. So for get the 300 baht story ! And anyone who does earn Minimum wage will take a bus for 10 baht, not use the MRT or BTS. London Oyster Card, who cares !!

[Jonmarleesco]

Allows commuters to save a few Baht a trip? Last time I checked, a few referred to more than a couple; the BTS's 'generosity' extends to ONE Baht per trip. That's it! I shan't be losing any sleep over their 'revoking' such a miserly amount. No doubt, however, the rather more generous subsidy afforded those who travel east beyond Onnut will remain in place?

[Jonmarleesco]

Even without the discount it still makes more sense than buying a ticket for each trip. I can't believe how so many people still line up during peak hour, day after day rather than purchasing a Rabbit card.

I agree entirely. I always top up as I go out and in off peak hours.

Actually I didn't know there was a discount on an ordinary top up card.

I have 2 cards. One is a 25 (or however many) trip card and i have to pay an extra 10 baht anyway as I travel to Bang Wa.

The other is a top up for small journeys.

I sometimes travel with friends who have to buy tickets and the queue can be really long.

Sometimes there are faulty machines and you see people shoving the same 5 baht coin in the automat again and again.

'Sometimes there are faulty machines and you see people shoving the same 5 baht coin in the automat again and again.' More likely the coin. It takes BTS so long to adapt to a newly minted coin that by the time they have got around to it, there are newer ones to contend with.

[kingalfred]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

i dont think the locals in thailand understand the concept of cash... vs credit. havent you noticed that everysingle account you open in a bank is a SAVING ACCOUNT? thais are taught NEVER TO SAVE. but are encouraged to spend their savings.

It's obviously easy for you, but to the average Thai who earns the minimum wage of 300 B a day, the 'issuing fee' of 150 Baht, and the 'deposit' of 50 B, making 200 Baht, it represents a much larger outlay. I think the minimum wage in UK is £6.75 an hour so £54 for an 8 hour day. I wonder how many Londoners would buy an Oyster card if the upfront cost - with no actual travel credit - cost £36 (US$55).

thais on the minimum wage dont use the BTS regularly, if at all

[millwall_fan]

dont care about the discount, it's the conveninece

i dont understand why more people, especially locals, dont have these cards. they save so much time and hassle but the locals seem to prefer to queue to buy tickets every time they travel...

i dont think the locals in thailand understand the concept of cash... vs credit. havent you noticed that everysingle account you open in a bank is a SAVING ACCOUNT? thais are taught NEVER TO SAVE. but are encouraged to spend their savings.

It's obviously easy for you, but to the average Thai who earns the minimum wage of 300 B a day, the 'issuing fee' of 150 Baht, and the 'deposit' of 50 B, making 200 Baht, it represents a much larger outlay. I think the minimum wage in UK is £6.75 an hour so £54 for an 8 hour day. I wonder how many Londoners would buy an Oyster card if the upfront cost - with no actual travel credit - cost £36 (US$55).

The current issuing fee is B50 at least until 31st December 2015. The deposit is refundable, so the total is B50. Mine was free and came with a complimentary stored value of B500.

I know there is a discount until the end of the year, hopefully many people will be able to afford to take the opportunity to buy one. The deposit is not refundable until the card is returned to Rabbit, so if you are a commuter it is effectively a fee.

Actually, as someone said above, although the queues are often long, it rarely take more than 5 or 6 minutes to reach the machine, as long as you don't need change.

As for the comment of the South African politician: Tokyo Sex Whale who states " It is nearly impossible not to find work in Bangkok. Everyone is hiring. You have to be literally useless and unwilling to work to be unemployed in Bangkok". Yers....'nuff said.