City bus fares up one baht, bigger rise later

City bus fares up one baht, bigger rise later

Fares on private city buses will increase by one baht on Tuesday, but the BMTA will delay the increase for a short time. (Photo by Thanarak Khunton)
Fares on private city buses will increase by one baht on Tuesday, but the BMTA will delay the increase for a short time. (Photo by Thanarak Khunton)

A one-baht fare rise on both ordinary and airconditioned Bangkok buses has been approved for Feb 10, with another increase in 4-5 weeks to better reflect actual operating costs, Transport Minister Prajin Juntong said on Friday

Transport Minister Prajin Juntong approved a one-baht rise in Bangkok bus fares  on Friday.

He said the increase officially applies to buses operated by the  state-run Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and private buses running under BMTA concessions from next Tuesday.

However, the BMTA would delay the fare increase on its buses for a time, he said.

The first-round fare rise next Tuesday does not take into account the rising price of compressed natural gas, the minister said.

He would wait 4-5 weeks for a study on bus operating costs and assistance measures for public transport operators to cushion the gas price hike before deciding on the size of the second increment.

The second ticket price rise would not be at the level  demanded by private bus operators.

Patrawadee Klomjaroon, president of the Association of Passenger Bus Operators, said the extra one baht would lift  the fare of ordinary buses from eight to nine baht, and for airconditioned buses from 11-23 baht to 12-24 baht.

She said the second round fare increase should cover the CNG price, that would reach 16 baht per kilogramme in six months. The government is raising the price gradually to eventually reflect the market price of the fuel.

"If the CNG price reaches 16 baht per kilogramme, the fare for ordinary buses must rise to 13 baht and for airconditioned buses ticket prices must start at 18 baht to cover costs," Mrs Patrawadee said.

She also said that if the government wanted to freeze the ordinary bus fare at 10 baht, it would have to fix the CNG price at 8.50 baht per kilogramme, or provide other assistance for operators.

Mrs Patrawadee said that if fares were capped at inadequate levels, bus companies would gradually stop services running on loss-making routes.

Acting BMTA director Pranee Sukrasorn said the fare for the BMTA's ordinary buses would for now remain at 6.50 baht and airconditioned bus tickets would also still start at the current 12 baht charged by BMTA.

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