The Asia Consumer Council opposes the new fare policy for extensions of the BTS Green Line, stating costlier transport will certainly further aggravate someones financial burdens.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Monday said it planned to begin charging fares on Green Line extensions ranging from 14 to 44 baht.
Kongsak Chuenkrailas, a member of the council’s subcommittee on transportation and vehicles, mentioned this is too expensive for most low-income workers, who depend on the skytrain to commute to work.
The fare for each of these extensions will start through 14 baht and increase by 2 baht per station, with the maximum price per extension assigned at 44 baht. This could rise to some single-journey fare as high as 59 baht when the travel route will go beyond one of these areas, he said.
The Eco-friendly Line extensions include the new northern plus southern sections of the particular Sukhumvit Lines, which includes 16 stations from Mo Chit to Khu Khot and nine stations from Bearing to Samut Prakan. The train services on both of these sections have been working free of charge since they opened up almost two years back.
Considering the Green Line plug-ins are major transportation routes for many low-income workers who live in suburban areas and travel into the town, Mr Kongsak mentioned the fares will be overly burdensome.
For example , a positive return trip that hits the 59-baht cap each way might equate to over a third, or 36%, from the minimum daily wage.
He or she said the ideal price should not exceed 10% of the minimum wage and urged the BMA to give up on its fare program.
“The Consumer Council as well as the public have higher expectations of the new Bangkok governor who else promised to refuse the BTS Eco-friendly Line concession agreement extension and keep the particular skytrain accessible for all, ” Mr Kongsak said.
“An affordable fare for riding any of the Green Line extensions would be 10 to 15 baht. ”
Deputy Bangkok chief excutive Wisanu Subsompon was adamant the new fare system is both fair and final, adding it will be ratified plus announced within the next two weeks.