The Department of Rail Transport (DRT) has proposed a 20-baht fare cap for all-electric train lines to the Transport Ministry, with cabinet approval expected later this month.
DRT director-general Pichet Kunadhamraks revealed on Monday that the department submitted its proposal for the second phase of the government's 20-baht maximum fare policy to the ministry last week.
According to the proposal, after the cabinet approves the policy, relevant government agencies will expedite negotiations with concessionaires of electric train lines to amend contracts or prepare memoranda of understanding in compliance with the public-private partnership (PPP) law.
Pichet: Proposal submitted last week
Mr Pichet also stated that the Digital Government Development Agency (DGA) will accelerate the development of a Central Clearing House (CCH) system, which will be connected to the government's "Tang Rat" app.
Registration for the 20-baht fare programme via the app is expected to begin in August, with the full implementation of the second phase of the policy scheduled to begin on Sept 30. The programme will initially run for one year.
The second phase will cover all electric train lines, applying the 20-baht fare cap to journeys both within a single line and across different lines. The fare will be implemented through a discount mechanism, ensuring registered passengers pay no more than 20 baht, he said.
To be eligible, passengers must register via the Tang Rat app and use one of two types of cards: EMV (Europay, MasterCard, or Visa) contactless cards, such as credit/debit cards, or Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) stored-value cards, such as Rabbit cards.
The 20-baht fare cap policy was first piloted on Oct 16, 2023, on the MRT Purple Line and the SRT Red Line. In its first year, the Red Line saw a 50% increase in ridership, from 20,000 to 30,000 daily trips, surpassing expectations.
The Purple Line also saw a 17% increase in passengers, from 50,000–60,000 to around 60,000–70,000 daily. The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) estimated that fare revenue from the line would drop by 56–60 million baht per year, but expects this to be offset within two years due to increased ridership.
The 20-baht fare cap policy, currently in its second year, will be further expanded in its third year. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit confirmed the plan to include all-electric train lines under the policy by Sept 30, allowing unlimited transfers within the electric railway network for a single fare.
The implementation depends on the passage of the joint ticketing system management law, currently under review by the House of Representatives.
It is expected to be enacted by September, which is the time for the full launch.