Phiphat halts Khlong Saen Saep fare rise amid Middle East-linked fuel pressure
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has ordered tighter oversight of fares after the Khlong Saen Saep boat operator signalled a 1-baht increase this week.
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn on Wednesday moved to block a planned fare increase on Bangkok’s Khlong Saen Saep boat service after the operator said fares would rise by 1 baht across all fare bands this week.
Chaovalit Metayaprapas, managing director of Family Transport (2002), had said earlier in the day that fares on the canal boat service would increase from 11-21 baht to 12-22 baht, depending on distance.
War room set up to monitor transport costs
Following the report, Phiphat said the Ministry of Transport had set up a situation monitoring centre, or “war room”, to closely track the impact of unrest in the Middle East and oversee transport operators of all kinds, ensuring that passenger fares and freight charges are not raised beyond the limits set by law.
He said the ministry had asked transport operators across all sectors to keep fares unchanged while the government continued to cap domestic diesel prices in order to ease the public’s cost-of-living burden.
Marine Department ordered to tighten oversight
Phiphat said agencies under the ministry had been instructed to step up strict oversight measures across all modes of transport.
In particular, the Marine Department has been tasked with closely supervising water transport, including inspections of passenger boat and cargo boat operators to ensure they do not charge above the prescribed rates, while also continuing to monitor international freight rates.
No fare increase implemented yet
Kritpetch Chaichuay, director-general of the Marine Department, said that following reports that the Khlong Saen Saep boat service would raise fares by 1 baht for each distance band this week, from 11-21 baht to 12-22 baht, the department had coordinated with Family Transport (2002) Co., Ltd., the operator of the Khlong Saen Saep passenger boat service, which confirmed that no fare increase had yet been implemented.
He said any fare adjustment would have to comply with the notification of the committee responsible for scheduled boat services on fare rates for services in Bangkok and surrounding areas, as published in the Royal Gazette, and would also have to be assessed in line with the cost structure, with fuel prices as the key factor.
“The Ministry of Transport confirms that it will continue to fully oversee the transport system in every respect in order to maintain price stability and reassure the public during a period of global uncertainty.”
