BMA's Green Line fares are unforgivable

BMA's Green Line fares are unforgivable

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's (BMA) plan to raise the Green Line's fare ceiling to the absolute maximum, at over 100 baht, from the original 65 baht, has triggered an avalanche of criticism.

Not only do city commuters feel betrayed, but such a high fare structure also makes many Bangkokians feel like they are being held hostage.

We feel betrayed because, for years, the BMA had promised to cap the one-way fare to be under 65 baht in exchange for concession extensions, up until last week when the agency allowed the operator to charge the maximum of 158 baht, with the latter saying it was happy with 104 baht, omitting the base fare.

We feel we are being held hostage because the BTSC, the operator of the BTS, told the media previously it didn't want to halt the service, but at one point said it might be inevitable, because of financial complications between it and the BMA, as a result of overdue construction costs owed by the latter.

Social media was on fire as netizens and local media started to share how hard urban life is going to be if a one-way train ticket is going to cost almost one-third of the daily minimum wage. The Transport Ministry has intervened, asking the BMA to review the new ceiling, while we are all keeping our fingers crossed.

A local media outlet shared a chart featuring fare comparisons on different modes of transport between Khu Khot station in Pathum Thani and Keha station in Samut Prakan. For the 48-kilometre distance, it takes about two hours and costs 104 baht to commute by train (promotion rate from Feb 16), 3.5 hours and 70 baht by bus, one hour and 60 baht by passenger van, two hours and 421 baht by taxi, or 1.5 hours and 699 baht by Grab bike. Or, if one walks, it costs nothing except for 10 hours of burning your calories. I know only a few commuters would travel between Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan on a daily basis. But the new pricing scheme is way too costly.

Not to mention that the BMA's revelation of the new fares comes at a bad time. We are encouraged by the government to use public transport just as PM2.5 blankets the city during this season. That would be possible only when the fares and services are attractive. But sorry, at 158 baht, it's totally not.

It's also ironic that the BTS Group Holdings gives the impression it has difficulty operating the system while its profits keep rising. In 2019, the operator said its revenue of the first half increased by 8% and reached 20 billion baht after the opening of the Green Line's extension to Kasetsart University. Around 80% was from train fees while 14% from advertisements, 5% from other services, and 1% from property. Last year, because business was not good as fewer city people travelled during the pandemic, the company saw its profits shrink, but its account is not in the red.

Besides, the company has never provided any explanation about the two ghost stations -- Suksa Witthaya, located between Chong Nonsee and Surasak, and Sena Ruam, between Ari and Saphan Khwai -- that it has forced commuters to pay for since day one of their operation. This is part of the price scheme that has made our train fares among the highest in the world.

Should I repeat how train tickets in Japan -- the country known for one of the highest cost of living -- remain affordable for all? The Japanese rail system is popular not only because of its efficient service and network, but also the friendly fares. It's not a secret that they keep the fares affordable because their overall revenue also includes income from rented spaces inside the stations, many of which are underground shopping stores and eateries where commuters love to hang out at after work.

The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) last year filed a lawsuit against the MRTA over changes to the terms of reference (ToR) to split the construction of infrastructure from the service management, instead of all-in-one originally.

The ToR changed after the bidding process had already started, which may be deemed against the law, but I've found the split is more reasonable and could be more useful to commuters while the competition should secure fairness. At least millions of commuters will not be held hostage the way the operator and the BMA have colluded in the Green Line deal. It's true BTSC is a for-profit organisation, but the state must not allow rip-offs with all the burden passed on to commuters.

We have complained a great deal about expensive train fares, but for some reason the state does not bother to fix the problem. Under such circumstances, the service is limited largely to middle-income earners. Isn't it time to make things right, making the service affordable for all, so that the trains will offer a real public transport system?

Sirinya Wattanasukchai

Columnist

Sirinya Wattanasukchai is a columnist for the Bangkok Post.

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