The Thailand Consumer Council (TCC) has called for the public sector to subsidise public transport fares, suggesting it should use funds derived from personal vehicles, land, and windfall taxes.
The suggestion was made during the first meeting of the Consumer Council for Public Transportation Users, which was aimed at exchanging guidelines and promoting projects to develop a safe and fair public transport system.
TCC president Boonyeun Siritham said the development of the public transport system in Thailand was done without consumers' participation.
Moreover, he said, the authorities tend to focus on enhancing services in Bangkok and surrounding areas and overlook provincial areas.
Development work has focused on road infrastructure supporting personal vehicle use, he said. As a result, the country has become a city of cars and motorcycles.
Mr Boonyeun said that because real users have no role in determining the issues addressed, public transport problems escalate.
He took the recent change of bus route numbers as an example, pointing out that the move caused more confusion among users rather than making the service more convenient.
TCC secretary-general Saree Aungsomwang said the government could lower public transport fares to draw more passengers.
The TCC suggested the state uses taxes, such as those from personal vehicles, land, and windfall taxes, to help subsidise the fares.
It also recommends authorities focus on enhancing provincial public transport systems rather than investing in road construction.
Ms Saree said the 34-billion-baht budget previously designated for a double-deck motorway construction project could procure electric buses and improve the public transport system in both Bangkok and provincial areas.
Bhuntin Noumjerm, a member of the House Committee on Consumer Protection, said there has been no sign the public transport policy would be focused in provincial areas over the next four years as power has been centralised in Bangkok for so long.
Meanwhile, TCC assistant secretary-general of transport and vehicles Kongsak Shinkrailat said the TCC plans to promote the "Road for All" campaign to develop a fair system for everyone.
The campaign urges consumers to participate in improving services, especially electric trains, to reduce the use of personal vehicles and supports the conversion of old cars to electric vehicles and solar energy.
The TCC proposed the state manage the fiscal budget to help relieve people's travel expenses to make them less than 10% of the minimum wage and establish a fund to support expanding public transport services management to provincial areas.
The proposal also addressed the goal of reducing the use of fossil fuels, which causes PM2.5 dust pollution and global warming.
The TCC also suggested the state support the private sector in providing public transport services.