The Transport Ministry is studying the possibility of creating an infrastructure fund to buy back mass rapid transit projects from private companies. It says public ownership of these services could allow for a flat fare of 20 baht per ride.
Caretaker Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said on Saturday the ministry aimed to advance the idea proposed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his "Vision for Thailand" event on Friday.
Mr Thaksin suggested that to achieve the flat fare rate, the government should buy back private electric train projects and set ticket prices at 20 baht per trip. He also recommended the ministry implement congestion charges on car users to subsidise public transport, and proposed expanding local airports to support tourism.
In response, Mr Suriya said the ministry agreed with the idea and is now planning to establish an infrastructure fund to buy back electric train services from the private sector.
"We will work with the Finance Ministry to set up the fund. The funding will come from the Ministry of Finance, and it will be separate from the Joint Ticket Promotion Fund, which compensates for the difference in electric train fares," he said.
Saree Aungsomwang, secretary-general of the Thailand Consumer Council (TCC), told the Bangkok Post that she supports Thaksin's proposal for a flat-rate transport system. She also suggested integrating all modes of transport, including express boats, public buses, and electric train services, under a single policy to maximise public benefit.
Regarding the other proposals by Thaksin, Mr Suriya said he has instructed the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) to study a congestion charge -- a fee levied on vehicles driven within congestion charge zones in central areas where mass rapid transit services are available.
He said it might be feasible to implement congestion charges in areas like Ratchadapisek, Siam, and Sukhumvit, similar to the systems in metropolitan cities such as London and Singapore.
The ministry also plans to transfer the management of 29 airports currently under the Department of Airports to Airports of Thailand (AoT) over the next decade. He added that three airports -- Krabi, Udon Thani, and Buri Ram -- are included in the first phase of this project.
Mr Suriya visited Samui International Airport in Surat Thani on Friday to review its operational progress, accompanied by Caretaker Deputy Minister Manaporn Charoensri.
The airport welcomed more than 1.4 million visitors in the first half of this year, up 22% from the same period last year. He added the airport, owned and operated by Bangkok Airways Plc, can take up to 16,000 passengers per day, or about 6 million passengers per year.