PUBLISHED: 11 Sep 2024 at 05: 03
With an annual budget of 8 billion baht, the Transport Ministry intends to finance its 20-baht flat payment plan for all electronic rail service in Bangkok.
A working group will be established to accelerate up the implementation of the Bangkok and surrounding areas ‘ 20-baht optimum suffer policy, according to Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit on Tuesday.
This aims to lower the public’s life expenses.
The government has operated the plan on two ranges since last October: the Red Line passenger trains on the Bang Sue-Rangsit and Bang Sue-Taling Chan areas and the MRT Purple Line on the Tao Poon-Bang Yai area. Both have seen a steady increase in people, he said.
Mr. Suriya added that having a designated staff to follow up on specifics may aid the job, which might include urging for a draft legislation on a joint-ticketing program and raising money to help it advance more quickly.
He added that the joint-ticketing system, in particular, may be implemented by September next year to help the plan and lower limits from existing agreement deals.
Now, the development of the draft laws may be deferred by about a quarter due to the change in government.
Mr. Suriya claimed that the law takes occasion to become effective because it must go through various procedures, including the Council of State’s legal evaluation process.
Mr. Suriya said he has requested the procedure be sped up in order to satisfy the target date because it is estimated it will take four months to complete the assessment.
The document must also be approved by the new government, the House of Representatives, and the Senate before it is submitted for royal assent and implementation.
He also expressed confidence that the 20-baht level fee may be implemented by future September, as previously announced.
This plan, according to the Department of Rail Transport, requires around 8 billion baht per month or a total of 16 billion ringgit during the last two years of the president’s name.
First, money will come from the revenue share of the MRT Blue Line, which amounts to about 15 billion ringgit. Its controller, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, has agreed. Additionally, Mr. Suriya added that money may be sought from funding options, including the Energy Conservation Fund.