Energy cardholders can see credit cap rising to Bt5,000
The Energy Ministry will consider raising the credit value of its energy cards for public-transport drivers to Bt5,000 from the present Bt3,000 for users who are well disciplined and keep their payments up to date for six consecutive months.
Energy Minister Arak Chonlatanon kicked off the official re-launch of the energy-card project yesterday, extending it to cover motorcycle taxis, tuk-tuks and vans operating under the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).
Operators with public-transport licence plates started registering for the cards, which have a one-year validity period, from yesterday and the cards will be handed to qualified applicants on October 15. Initially the cards will be valid only in Greater Bangkok before the scheme is expanded to the other provinces next year.
A total of 30,000 drivers registered for the cards yesterday, mostly operators of motorcycle taxis. The total number is expected to reach 100,000.
The card contains a credit value of Bt3,000, which cardholders have 45 days to repay, up from 30 days in the first phase of the project. There are also a greater number of places accepting bill payments, such as 7-Eleven outlets and Krung Thai Bank. The minimum repayment rate is 10 per cent of the balance, but not less than Bt100.
Cardholders will enjoy a Bt2-per-kilogram discount on natural gas for vehicles and a Bt3-per-litre discount on gasohol 91 and 95.
Arak said that if a cardholder maintained repayment discipline for six consecutive months, the ministry would consider raising the card’s value to Bt5,000.
The government kicked off the first phase of the project in December for NGV-fuelled public-transport vehicles such as taxis and BMTA vans. Under the existing scheme, more than 23,000 NGV taxi drivers hold the cards, spending a total of Bt38 million with them. They will also gain the same benefits as the new cardholders under the re-launch.
Arak stressed that the revised project would not suffer debt defaults, as vehicle operators had a better understanding of how to use the cards.
An added benefit under the re-launch is the discount of Bt2 per kilogram of NGV when paying by the cards, but total spending must not exceed Bt9,000 per month per card. After bill payment, the credit value will be re-topped by the same amount of the repayment but not exceeding Bt3,000. If cardholders still have value remaining, they have to pay their bill first before they can use the leftover amount.
Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sithipan said the ministry would not raise the taxi meter rate as long as the Energy Ministry has pegged the NGV price at Bt10.50 per kilo. More than 70 per cent of taxis use NGV.
