Representatives of skytrain employees have asked the government to pay the 50 billion baht debt the company accumulated in running the Green Line extension owned by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
They rallied on Tuesday at Chamaimaruchet bridge, by Government House, holding up placards before submitting a letter addressed to the prime minister through the government complaints office.
Employee representative Seksak Hoonsa-ard said the company, Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC), was owed the money by the BMA. Employees were worried their livelihoods would be affected if the company had to continue carrying the burden.
He was adamant that employees were acting on their own in demanding government action, and not following the directions of company executives.
Although BTSC had filed suit with the Administrative Court, and the court had ordered the BMA to make the payment, City Hall continued to procrastinate, evading responsibility and buying time by filing an appeal with the Supreme Administrative Court. he said.
Meanwhile, BTSC had continued to run the extension line, providing a public service, Mr Seksak said.
Mr Seksak said the employees wanted the prime minister to take some action, or order the payment of the debt, within seven days. Otherwise they would again rally at Government House, even though by that time the government might be only a caretaker administration.
If the company resorted to stop running the Green Line extension, he hoped the people would understand why, he said.
Mr Seksak said if the matter was not taken up for rapid consideration, was further delayed and the House of Representatives dissolved for the general election, the size of the debt would continue to grow, beyond 50 billion baht. Interest alone was about 8 million baht per day.
BTSC, a subsidiary of SET-listed BTS Group Holdings Plc, owns the Silom Line from National Stadium to Taksin Bridge station, and the Sukhumvit route from Mor Chit to On Nut. The extensions from the ends of those two lines are owned by the BMA, which hired BTSC through its investment arm Krungthep Thanakhom to operate the service.