Chatchat fever! Will the train fare be lowered?

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Bangkok Governor Chatchart Sitthiphan said it would take 1 month to work out a way out of the knot at the Ministry of Interior. Make a proposal at the Cabinet meeting to extend the concession for the BTS Group for another 30 years (2602 of the contract expires in 2029 in exchange for debts of more than 100 billion baht by collecting the maximum fare (both the main line and the extension) not more than 65 baht, correlating with the exchange between the former governor of Bangkok and the Ministry of Transport and the Pride Thai party being a conflicting partner, the Cabinet approves the extension of the concession until the term has been hit several times. Until it reached the hands of Governor Chatchart, who had to come and clear the big knot.

While Governor Chatchat had previously announced his opposition to renewing the concession so that others could compete, he is concerned that BMA has not acted on it. The 2019 state-private joint investment act, including agreeing to return the Green Line extension to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA). More than 60 billion baht of debt remains for civil works and interest on the extension project with MRTA.

Bangkok has colorful trains. There are many operators, including supervisors, on the Bangkok Green Line (for which BTS is the concessionaire). MRTA handles the trains on the blue and purple lines of the MRT with the operation of BEM. The State Railway of Thailand (MRTA) provides the SRT Subsidiary Company-SRT Railway Company Limited to operate the Red Line trains, with both MRTA and SRT reporting to the Ministry of Transport.

The number of electric train passengers in Bangkok has increased after the resolution of the Covid-19 situation, for example, SRT’s new Red Line train has continuously increased since May 27. The record of passengers (New High) is 14,120 people… 

This is the highest since it opened for commercial service more than six months ago. Since it first opened in November, the number of passengers has ranged from about 2,000 to 3,000 per day, to about 8,000 to 9,000 per day, to over 10,000 passengers per day. In May, average daily ridership is expected to be about 30,000 passengers, with growth of at least 10% per year, but still below the target of 8, according to the study.

The top 3 stations with the most service users are 1. Bang Sue Central Station, 2. Don Mueang Station, and 3. Rangsit Station. Originally, Don Mueang Station was the third one, but nowadays, people travel more in the country by air. Therefore, Don Mueang Station also has more passengers.

If you remember, when the new service opened. People collapsed on the railway that the connection point between Don Mueang Station and Don Mueang Airport has no ramps, that stairs causing people to use the luggage is not convenient have to carry bags up and down the stairs. So far, SRT has not improved the ramp to facilitate passengers.

Skip the difficult problem “Contributions and political business strategy” to listen to the opinions of people and passengers. Although the government has made electric trains a network to connect with each other, which takes time and when the train arrived but did not reach the front of the house, this is a part that makes all train lines have a lower number of passengers than the targets. People want the government to set up a public transport feeder system to connect the trains of all colors to facilitate the speed of travel. the two-row bus shuttle or bus … 

Around the station, people want to organize hawkers, stalls, stores, win motorcycles, cabs, and want to have parking spaces. Connect the disabled and passengers need a ramp to drag luggage and need a seat to wait for the train and other amenities such as clear advertising signs, make purchases while waiting for the train, including reduced fares. But BMTA can not because of the high investment especially if the private sector joins the capital, it must expect a profit. The focus on monthly tickets or promotions will be put. Incentive and cost reduction requires waiving the entry fare of each system of each color of the train to make it cheaper People will have access to the train. Help solve the problem of traffic jams; promote the use of public transport; save energy.

Governor Chatchat will be empowered to all sectors involved in electric trains to make better changes.

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