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ETA may reintroduce 1,000 baht cash deposit for Easy Pass issuance

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EAT) is mulling the reintroduction of the collection of 1,000-baht cash deposit for the issuance of an Easy Pass electronic card for new subscribers.

 

A well-informed source said Wednesday that the ETA would propose its governor, Mr Narong Khiaddet, to reintroduce the 1,000-baht cash deposit to be collected from motorists for each new Easy Pass card issued to them after it was discovered that only about 500,000 Easy Pass cards out of about 1.2 million cards issued are used regularly and each card is used 0.4 time a day.

 

The source pointed out that the low number of usage of the Easy Pass cards each day has led to criticism that the automatic toll collection system is not worth its cost of installation.

 

However, the source also noted that if cash deposit collection which was earlier revoked is reintroduced, several motorists might be discouraged from using Easy Pass.

 

Meanwhile Mr Narong said that he wanted more motorists to use Easy Pass which will benefit the motorists themselves because they will not be held up for too long at toll gates and can travel faster uninterrupted.

 

He said the ETA had to figure out what to do when there are comments from the inspectors that the automatic toll collection system is not worth the cost because of the low usage of Easy Pass.

 

However, he admitted that there are many motorists who are reluctant to use Easy Pass because they do not normally use the expressway system and prefer to pay the toll fee in cash every time they use the expressway.

 

In the short run, the ETA has expected 40 percent of motorists who use the expressway to subscribe to Easy Pass.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/eta-may-reintroduce-1000-baht-cash-deposit-easy-pass-issuance/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-08-17

 

 

[Mango Bob]

No Thai will use it if you did that.  Crazy move for a place that wants to increase the number of users.  How about a few discounts for those who use it compared to those who don't.

[craigt3365]

I was in New Jersey when they implemented the system.  Caught on fast as they reduced the number of cash lanes and lines were incredibly long.

 

I like the idea of a discount!

[taichiplanet]

the problem is there is usually only one or 2 lanes for the E-Tag and they are usually blocked by lines of cars to the other toll booths or by some idiot that hasn't got the E-Tag and has to sit at the booth for a few minutes while someone sorts it out.

 

They need to somehow free up the E lane. Maybe a dedicated lane 1 km or so before the tool booths, and if someone gets to the booth without the tag then 1,000 Baht; Baht would soon discourge the idiots.

Edited August 17, 2016 by taichiplanet
slow brain function

[waldroj]

So, they're "mulling" a 1,000-baht cash deposit for each new Easy Pass card issued.

 

But, "...if (the) cash deposit...is reintroduced, several motorists might be discouraged from using Easy Pass...Meanwhile Mr Narong said that he wanted more motorists to use Easy Pass...".

Depending on which way you want to look at this, there could be some logic here somewhere that I don't see. Just as there might also be in the minds of those motorists "...who are reluctant to use Easy Pass because they do not normally use the expressway system, preferring to pay the toll fee in cash every time they use the expressway...".

 

Perhaps, it's a Thai thing, like NBTC threatening to ban Pokémon Go in Thailand as early as today (http://tech.thaivisa.com/thai-government-threatens-to-ban-pokemon-go/16757/), while TAT wants to expand and encourage its use (http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/minister-kobkarn-hopes-pokemon-go-will-save-thailands-tourism-industry/151324/).

 

Amazing Thailand!

[HerbalEd]

16 hours ago, taichiplanet said:

the problem is there is usually only one or 2 lanes for the E-Tag and they are usually blocked by lines of cars to the other toll booths or by some idiot that hasn't got the E-Tag and has to sit at the booth for a few minutes while someone sorts it out.

 

They need to somehow free up the E lane. Maybe a dedicated lane 1 km or so before the tool booths, and if someone gets to the booth without the tag then 1,000 Baht; Baht would soon discourge the idiots.

I use Easy Pass lanes very often and very seldom do I see a problem with blocked lanes. 

[gk10002000]

A deposit eh?  Should read "non refundable" deposit or better yet just call it a fee.   

[bark]

I can never understand why everyone does not use the easy pass system.

There is no fee to get the card; you can top up as little as 500 baht; with no expiry on the money.

And it can save you 10 minutes at every gate, everyday.

Anyone who who doesn't have one is in my mind stupid.

To and from work, or mall saves 20 minutes/day. 2 hours/week( 6 days),  104 hours/year. and over 20 years, you

will save 2,080 hours or 87 days of your time. 40 years will be 174 days. That 6 months in your life

sitting in your car, waiting to pay money.  40 years is the average time people drive.

I know I wasted 5 minutes typing this.

 

[silent]

20 hours ago, waldroj said:

So, they're "mulling" a 1,000-baht cash deposit for each new Easy Pass card issued.

 

But, "...if (the) cash deposit...is reintroduced, several motorists might be discouraged from using Easy Pass...Meanwhile Mr Narong said that he wanted more motorists to use Easy Pass...".

Depending on which way you want to look at this, there could be some logic here somewhere that I don't see. Just as there might also be in the minds of those motorists "...who are reluctant to use Easy Pass because they do not normally use the expressway system, preferring to pay the toll fee in cash every time they use the expressway...".

 

Perhaps, it's a Thai thing, like NBTC threatening to ban Pokémon Go in Thailand as early as today (http://tech.thaivisa.com/thai-government-threatens-to-ban-pokemon-go/16757/), while TAT wants to expand and encourage its use (http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/minister-kobkarn-hopes-pokemon-go-will-save-thailands-tourism-industry/151324/).

 

Amazing Thailand!

 

Very simple expalanation. The left side of the brain controls the right hand, the right side controls the left hand and if there isn't a brain between them everything is confused. That's why the wai