BTS management to take BMA to court over Bt30-billion Green Line dues
The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC) is preparing to file a case at the Central Administrative Court against the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for repayment of the costs it had incurred running the Green Line extension, BTS director Surapong Laoha-Unya said.
The BTS Skytrain operator has repeatedly demanded from the BMA repayment of the Bt30-billion expenditure it had incurred operating the Green Line extension and related expenses since 2018. The payment was due on March 31.
“The debt includes over Bt10.9 billion in wages for operating the Green Line extension since 2018 and purchase of a train operating system worth over Bt20.7 billion,” said Surapong.
“The company has been carrying this burden for four years while the BMA says it has no money to pay and is urging the government to take care of the debt.”
BTSC is a subsidiary of the SET-listed BTS Group Holdings Plc, and owns the Silom Line from National Stadium to the Taksin Bridge station, and the Sukhumvit route from Mor Chit to On Nut. The extensions of those two lines are owned by the BMA, which had hired BTSC to operate the service.
“As a SET-listed company with more than 101,700 shareholders, BTS Group Holdings needs to take this case to court to protect the rights of our shareholders who are mostly the general public,” added Surapong.
“We have no intention of using this debt as a condition to amend the Green Line concession contract.”