BTS wants financial help

Passengers are on board the BTS Green Line extension at Wat Phra Sri Mahathat station. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Passengers are on board the BTS Green Line extension at Wat Phra Sri Mahathat station. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) has asked the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to pay for the operation of the Green Line extension and warned there might be disruption to the service if it doesn't.

Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang says the BMA does not have the eight billion baht the BTS wants and would have to ask the government to help out since the BMA was told to provide the train service free of charge.

The governor on Monday chaired a meeting between BMA executives on preparations for the new Green Line service from Mo Chit to Khu Khot.

The extended route is due to launch on Dec 16 with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to preside over the opening ceremony, Mr Aswin said.


He warned, however, that the BTSC, the concessionaire of the extended Green Line from Bearing to Samut Prakan and from Mo Chit to Khu Khot, said it might have to halt the service if the BMA did not pay.

Meanwhile, the governor said the privately invested Gold Line route from Krung Thon Buri to Khlong San District Office would definitely open on Dec 16.

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Vocabulary

  • ceremony (noun): a formal public event - งานพิธี
  • concessionaire: a person or company that has the legal right given by a business or government to sell things - ผู้ได้รับสัมปทาน
  • disruption: a situation in which something cannot continue because of a problem - การขัดขวาง, การหยุดชะงัก
  • executive: a senior manager in a business or other organisation - ผู้บริหาร
  • governor: a person who is chosen to be in charge of the government of a state or province or a government agency - ผู้ว่าการรัฐ, ผู้ว่าราชการจังหวัด
  • halt: to stop - หยุด
  • invest: to spend money on something in order to make it better or more successful - ลงทุน
  • preside over: to lead or be in charge of - รับผิดชอบ
  • route: the roads, paths, waterways, etc., used to go from one place to another - เส้นทาง
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