BMA eyes setting fares for BTS extension soon in bid to pay off BTSC debt
Fares on the second extension of the BTS Green Line may be raised as soon as mid-December or early January, Bangkok deputy governor Wisanu Subsompon said on Friday.
The fare adjustment is part of the plan to settle the approximately 53 billion baht owed to the Bangkok Transit System Corporation (BTSC) for operating the Green Line and installing electrical and mechanical systems.
The Green Line was extended in two parts. The first runs from Bang Chak to Bearing, and from Pho Nimit to Bang Wa. The second part runs from Mo Chit to Khu Khot and from Bearing to Kheha (Samut Prakan).
The second extension, which began operating six years ago, has still not been added to the Green Line’s fare system, which starts at 17 baht and is capped at 47 baht as of the start of this year.
Wisanu said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has come up with three approaches to raise the fare. The first is to charge a flat 15-baht fare from commuters using the extension, which, he said, would cause the least burden on the public.
The second approach will be to boost the fare in steps, with the first five stations costing 15 baht, six-10 stations costing 20 baht and 11-plus stations costing 25 baht.
The last option will be to implement a 15-baht starting fare for the extension and increase it by 3 baht per station capped at 30 baht.
Wisanu said the BMA will submit this plan to the Interior Ministry, which will seek Cabinet approval as soon as possible.
Once the city announces the new fare, it will go into effect in 30 days, which could be as early as mid-December.
