MRT fares to be capped
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TRANSPORT MINISTER Air Chief Marshall Prajin Juntong plans to again ask Bangkok Metro, operator of MRT subway (Blue Line)'s Bang Sue-Hua Lamphong section, to defer an increase in ticket fares by Bt1-2 per section until December.
The move came after a three-month extension period for lifting ticket fares, previously asked for by the ministry, ends on October 2. (The ministry previously asked the operator to defer the increase of the MRT ticket fares from July 3 to October 2.)
Currently, MRT fare rates range from Bt15 to Bt40 per person – and the new fares will cost from Bt16 to Bt42.
Prajin spoke to reporters during his visit to the site of the extension of the Blue Line’s second contract at Itsaraphap Station. A holy-object worship and merit-making ceremony was held yesterday to mark the start of boring the tunnel under the Chao Phraya River.
Prajin said the ministry would discuss with the MRT subway operator next Saturday about deferring the next rise in MRT ticket prices. On the same day, the Transport Ministry will meet with all operators to discuss any proposed increase in ticket fares on electric mass-transit trains for the whole system.
“But, if the operator does not agree on that, the ministry will try to negotiate with it to bring down ticket fares as much as possible,” Prajin said.
In regard to progress on construction of the Purple Line Bang Yai-Bang Sue route, Prajin said it was now 99.75 per cent complete and expected to open service in the first quarter of 2016. Previously, the Purple Line planned to open service by the last quarter of 2016.
Meanwhile, he said construction of the extension of the Blue Line from Bang Sue-Tha Phra and Bang Khae-Hua Lamphong was 63.7 per cent complete, 0.6 per cent faster than scheduled. As part of the Blue Line will run under the river, it may not be easy to speed up and finish construction quicker than the expected date of 2016.
