The Department of Rail Transport (DRT) has initiated efforts to fulfill the Pheu Thai-led coalition’s commitment of capping fares for Bangkok’s electric train network at a flat rate of 20 baht per trip. A reliable source within the department disclosed this information on Monday.
The source indicated that the findings of this endeavor will be presented to the incoming administration upon assuming office.
As per the information from the source, the DRT is currently investigating two potential scenarios. The first scenario involves applying the flat fare of 20 baht per trip exclusively to individuals with low incomes who possess a state welfare card. Conversely, the second scenario envisions the flat fare being applicable to all passengers using the electric train network in the capital.
The initial scenario is expected to be more cost-effective in terms of implementation, as the government will only need to subsidize journeys taken by state welfare cardholders. Presently, 31,019 welfare cardholders utilize the city’s electric trains for their daily commutes. With the fare cap at 20 baht, this number is projected to increase to around 34,000 daily users.
For this approach to be successful, the government will need to contribute approximately 35 baht per ride, resulting in a daily total of 52,190 baht or an annual sum of 307.9 million baht, according to the source.
Conversely, the second scenario would entail higher costs due to a wider range of passengers requiring subsidies. With a fare of 17.47 baht per ride, the government’s subsidy commitment would amount to 16.5 million baht daily or 5.44 billion baht annually, in order to maintain the 20 baht fare, the source revealed.
Implementing a universal fare cap of 20 baht would lead to a substantial increase in the daily number of electric train commuters. The source projected a 9.6% surge, amounting to approximately 104,296 individuals, resulting in a total of around 1.19 million passengers utilizing the service daily.
The DRT pointed out that if the government can enact this policy prior to the start of the upcoming year, it would contribute to reducing the concentration of hazardous ultra-fine PM2.5 pollutants, which typically escalate during the cooler months.
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SOURCE: http://bangkokpost.com
