Reminder: Old MRT cards no longer work after July 15

[webfact]

Reminder: Old MRT cards no longer work after July 15

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

If you have any of the card designs above, they will no longer work at the end of next week. Photo: MRT Bangkok/ Facebook

 

BANGKOK: -- Starting July 16, MRT cards from two years ago (and older) will no longer work, but commuters can still transfer their balance to a new card by Tuesday, July 11.

 

To make life even more inconvenient, you can only transfer your balance at a few stations and during designated hours only. From 6:30am – 9am, you can swap for a new card at Chatuchak, Paholyothin, and Thailand Cultural Center stations or you can go to Rama IX, Sukhumvit, or Silom stations between 4:30pm – 8pm.

 

Sadly, the period to make a free swap for the new card ended on June 30, so there may be a THB50 fee to get a new card. However, they did give you two and a half years to change your card for free since their initial announcement was in January of 2015.

 

Full story: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/reminder-old-mrt-cards-no-longer-work-july-15/

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-07-07

[speedtripler]

Inconvenient hours, money grabbing opportunity... 

[laocowboy2]

And not for the first time

[Crossy]

You have had a little warning:-

 

Quote

However, they did give you two and a half years to change your card for free since their initial announcement was in January of 2015.

 

[speedtripler]

Just now, Crossy said:

You have had a little warning:-

 

 

but if the old cards still work fine  and  people have credit on them ,why force people to buy new ones ?

and why only at limited few locations and only outside business hours ?

obvious moneygrab is obvious lol

[Crossy]

Well, the old cards will stop working when the link to the Purple Line opens, new more secure technology.

 

Up until recently you could swap your card for free at any MRT station.

 

50 Baht is actually less than the card costs.

 

 

 

[kkerry]

4 minutes ago, Crossy said:

You have had a little warning:-

 

 

 

I've used mine plenty of times in the past two years, have topped it up but this is the first I've ever heard of this. Last time I used mine was two weeks ago.

 

Getting a replacement card only being possible at peak times indicates they don't want you to replace it, with the lines at MRT ticket booths at peak time so long (it's why you have the card, to avoid this) so that's my 300 baht balance gone I guess.

[Crossy]

Sadly the station signage is in Thai, BEM were told to do English too, but like most times their consultant was ignored (consultants exist to take the blame when it all goes wrong).

 

However, the impending end of the old cards has been announced in the English language press and yes, even on Thaivisa. I must admit I thought all the old cards had been retired some time back.

 

Go to one of the designated stations with 50 Baht and you can still transfer your remaining balance.

 

Anyway it's entirely Up2U.

 

[kkerry]

Not worth it. To get to Chatuchak by 9AM takes over an hour from where I live in morning traffic.

 

Do you have a link to where it was mentioned on ThaiVisa? I couldn't find anything when I searched.

 

I have a couple of Singapore MRT cards and knew about needing to replace them but Bangkok MRT... nope.

[Crossy]

Well here is one of my own posts (interestingly it has a like from a user - @kkerry ) :-

 

and this one in the same thread

 

You don't have to do it yourself, you could get wife / girlfriend to do it for you, or even pay a bike taxi guy.

 

[kkerry]

Great community member that kkerry...  

 

Not the card I have though. Mine is the blue one with the train on it and I haven't used the purple line yet.

I asked my wife but she doesn't know anyone around here that uses the MRT for work or I would see if they could update it for me.

My wife rarely uses public transport, prefers driving everywhere.

Bit far for my local moto guys.

Might have to get one of those spider cards whenever they become available.

 

[Crossy]

You may grow old waiting for Spider (at least the one for normal mortals not the low-income variant)

 

 

[Acharn]

OK, I'm embarrassed to have to ask this, but I'm not in Bangkok and probably won't get there until August or even September. First, is MRT the subway or the skytrain? I've checked my fare card and it doesn't say, but it's got to be more than seven years old. Secondly, I've got a senior citizen's card and I suspect I'm not supposed to, but the clerks never question it when I add money to it. I love the reduced fare, although I use the subway so rarely now it's hardly a benefit. Does anybody know if, when I am in Bangkok in  August or September I would be able to buy a senior citizen's card again? When I got this one I had a regular prepaid card and went to add a couple hundred baht to it, and the pretty young woman asked me if I wanted one or not. Didn't ask me for my ID card or passport, so I felt kind of chagrined that it was so obvious to her I was over 60. I had asked for one at the skytrain and was told they were only for Thai citizens so had never asked for one on the subway.

[kkerry]

MRT is the subway.

BTS is the skytrain.

 

If you have a seven year old card then I doubt you can use it now.

My MRT card on the back says valid within 2 years from date of last use.

Skytrain cards from seven years ago have been replaced by Rabbit branded cards. 

 

Can't help you with the senior citizen info. While I get called sir increasingly often, I've yet to be asked if I have a Senior's card... good genes  

[Crossy]

Yup, BTS = Skytrain, MRT = subway.

 

It is the MRT cards that are being replaced with new ones that will work on the Purple Line and other upcoming MRT lines (but not the BTS, we have to wait for Mangmoom for that).

 

BTS will NOT let a farang have a senior card (although several members have reported getting one), however the MRT will let farangs have senior cards (have to be over 60).

 

A card that old will have expired on card life (usually 5 years) anyway.

[CLW]

I can't understand the people who are complaining now, except for the reason they have been outside Thailand for a while.
There were announcements on the screens inside the trains and the stations as well as posters at every entrance.
I could bet I've seen them in English, too.
However the graphics were so clear to understand for a three year old child.
In case of doubt just ask at any ticket counter, they can speak passable English and could have exchanged the card for you anytime.

[speedtripler]

1 hour ago, CLW said:

I can't understand the people who are complaining now, except for the reason they have been outside Thailand for a while.
There were announcements on the screens inside the trains and the stations as well as posters at every entrance.
I could bet I've seen them in English, too.
However the graphics were so clear to understand for a three year old child.
In case of doubt just ask at any ticket counter, they can speak passable English and could have exchanged the card for you anytime.

Some people have other things in their life to do more important than check if their public transport ticket is being invalidated or not? 

 

 

[kkerry]

Guess I'm not as clever as a three year old as I saw nothing, nothing.

 

 

[CLW]

Some people have other things in their life to do more important than check if their public transport ticket is being invalidated or not? 
 
 

Staring on your smartphone all the time

[speedtripler]

22 hours ago, CLW said:

Staring on your smartphone all the time

 

[Centrum]

On 7/9/2017 at 11:00 PM, CLW said:

I can't understand the people who are complaining now, except for the reason they have been outside Thailand for a while.
There were announcements on the screens inside the trains and the stations as well as posters at every entrance.
I could bet I've seen them in English, too.
However the graphics were so clear to understand for a three year old child.
In case of doubt just ask at any ticket counter, they can speak passable English and could have exchanged the card for you anytime.

Well, I guess I'm that 3 year-old-guy, although I'm not really complaining. TBF, I don't use the MRT very often, maybe once or twice a month, but prior to this thread, I had no idea my card was about to expire.

Today, the 15th, being the last day, I dutifully went to the Thailand Cultural Centre station at 8.30, just as directed in the opening post to exchange my card. The ticket officer did not have a clue what I was on about. Did I want to check my balance? Did I want a refund?

You would think that someone who works for the MRT would have been told about the old cards expiring today, but apparently not. So I don't feel so silly now.