Transport Ministry plans December sign-up for 17–45 baht rail fares

Transport Ministry plans to open registration through the Paotang app in December 2026 for a Bangkok rail-fare scheme offering fares of 17–45 baht to Thai citizens only, according to a ministry source. Passengers would pay the full fare upfront and receive the difference back through the app after travelling.

Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said the ministry remained committed to launching the scheme on January 1, 2027. Siripong outlined the preparations following the Common Ticketing System Policy Committee’s fourth meeting of 2026, held on October 7.

Paotang refunds would preserve operators’ existing fares

The Transport Ministry plans to request 5.8 billion baht from the central budget to fund fare reimbursements, with Cabinet approval targeted by early November, Siripong said. Private operators would continue to receive revenue under their existing concession terms.

“The government will not interfere with the existing concession conditions or mechanisms of private operators, because they will continue to receive fares under the original terms,” Siripong said. “Passengers will have to pay the full fare first. The government will then refund the difference after their journey through the Paotang app.”

Siripong said discussions had already taken place with private concessionaires, including Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc and Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc. The operators had raised no objections or problems because the scheme would leave their existing fare structures and contractual revenue arrangements unchanged.

Paotang registration would link identity and payment cards

Thai applicants would register their national ID together with an existing payment card through Paotang to confirm eligibility and arrange direct reimbursement, according to the Transport Ministry source. The proposed options are credit or debit cards using the Europay, Mastercard and Visa (EMV) payment standard, or Rabbit Cards, although technical arrangements still need to be settled.

Siripong said the ministry needed discussions with Krungthai Bank Plc to develop the payment and reimbursement system through two arrangements:

- EMV cards: Develop the system so that all types of EMV cards can be linked to Paotang.
- Rabbit Cards: Negotiate with operators over whether the Rabbit system can connect to Paotang, allowing existing cardholders to continue tapping their cards for travel while receiving the benefit.

“Both arrangements would be short-term measures during the transition. The ultimate aim is to convert all rail card readers fully to EMV and use EMV cards for all tap-to-pay journeys,” Siripong said.

Rabbit Card option would last one year on four lines

The proposed Rabbit Card arrangement would operate for one year to give around 700,000 passengers who use the cards each day time to adjust to the new payment system, the Transport Ministry source said. Retaining Rabbit Card payments during that period is intended to ease the transition and maintain convenience for passengers.

The Green Line would initially have EMV readers installed at only a limited number of special swing gates, creating a risk of queues and crowding, particularly at major stations, according to the Transport Ministry source. Allowing registered Rabbit Cards would give passengers another way to tap through the gates while receiving the fare benefit.

“The Green Line is a main rail route with heavy ridership, but its management rights have not yet been transferred to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, so EMV readers cannot yet be installed throughout,” the Transport Ministry source said. The ministry is therefore considering Rabbit Card registration during the transition while the transfer of management rights remains pending.

Under the proposed arrangement, registered Rabbit Cards could be used to claim the 17–45 baht fare benefit on the following lines only:

- Green Line
- Gold Line
- Yellow Line
- Pink Line

Passengers connecting to other rail services, including the Blue and Purple lines, would need to tap an EMV card to receive the benefit, according to the Transport Ministry source.