Cabinet greenlights THB20 train fare until November 2025
Move will cost the government THB300 billion in lost revenue
The Cabinet on Friday approved the 20-baht fare cap on the state-run Red and Purple line electric trains for another year, from December 1, 2024 to November 30, 2025.
The move, which aims to help alleviate people’s financial burden, is expected to cost the government some 300 million baht in lost revenue, government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said.
The Red Line urban train, run by the State Railway of Thailand, is expected to suffer a loss of 35.35 million baht, while the MRT Purple Line, under the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand, will take a loss of 272.99 million baht due to the campaign.
The 20-baht flat-fare for all routes of electric trains was one of the key election promises of the ruling Pheu Thai Party. The campaign was first implemented in October 2023 on state-run routes, to be expanded to all routes by September 2025.
The Cabinet met at Chiang Mai Rajabhat University in the northern province on Friday, which is the first mobile Cabinet meeting of the Paetongtarn Shinawatra administration.
After chairing the session, the PM, along with her husband and children, visited the exhibition hosted by the university to showcase local handicrafts, said Jirayu.
