Free bus, train fares to continue through March
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Government-sponsored free public bus and economy-class train services will be extended until March 31 next year, government spokeswoman Sansanee Narkpong said Wednesday.
The scheme, which expired on September 30, covers 800 public buses on 73 routes in Bangkok and the metropolitan area. The government has subsidised the Bangkok Mass Transport Company by Bt1.5 billion to extend the transport benefit to low-income people.
Another subsidy of Bt555 million was granted to the State Railway of Thailand for 172 free economy-class trains a day.
The government also extended the tax exemption on diesel fuel, which also expired on September 30, for another month, to October 31.
Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) Director Opart Petchmunee earlier said that more than 900,000 passengers are using free buses daily on average costing around Bt30 million per month. The BMTA is receiving about Bt190 million each month in compensation for the free bus scheme, and the budget disbursement from the Ministry of Finance has so far been smooth.
Meanwhile, State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Governor Yutthana Thapcharoen also said the SRT there are about 28-30 million passengers using free train service each year while the compensation is about Bt62-82 million per month. He believed that the number of train passengers will drop if the free train service is cancelled.
A train fare of more than Bt100 for a provincial trip means a lot for low-income earners, he said.
