The Transport Ministry has decided to continue the 20-baht flat fare on the Red and Purple electric railway lines despite the policy originally being due to end in November, citing a 26% increase in passenger flow.
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said his ministry has kept pushing for the flat fare, with a focus on the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Red Lines and the Metropolitan Rapid Transit's (MRT) Purple Line.
The cabinet allowed a pilot project to be carried out on both lines between Oct 16, 2023, and Nov 30, 2024, in a bid to help reduce the cost of living.
Mr Suriya confirmed that passengers on both lines will get to enjoy the policy non-stop, adding the Transport Ministry will continue the project beyond its original deadline of Nov 30. If this requires approval by the new cabinet, the ministry will submit a proposal, he said.
According to Mr Suriya, the total number of passengers on the SRT Red Lines and the MRT Purple Line increased by 26.39% from 21.3 million between Oct 16, 2022, and July 31, 2023, to 26.92 million between Oct 16, 2023, and July 31, 2024.
He said both lines earned a total of 432.48 million baht during the later period, a fall of 100.56 million baht, or 18.87%, from the 533.04 million baht earned during the former period. Mr Suriya said the Transport Ministry aims to implement the 20-baht flat fare on all electric railway lines in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) by next September.
He said his ministry is in the process of presenting a draft of the Common Ticketing System Management Act to the new cabinet in an effort to push for funds to back this, support the operation and eliminate the limitations of the current concession contract.
The process has been delayed for about a month due to the transition to the new government, he said.
Mr Suriya said the government will hire a consultancy to study the pros and cons of its plan to reclaim the right to operate electric railway systems from private companies.
