Yuttapong Jarassathian, Thai political party Pheu Thai’s member of parliament for Maha Sarakham province and party deputy chief, submitted a letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on January 26 urging him to suspend the Green Line Skytrain fare increase to a maximum 104 baht ($3.50), which is to commence on February 16.
Despite previously promising that the fare ceiling would be 65 baht on the route, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang on January 22 said the new ceiling of 104 baht is inexpensive and would be implemented from February 16 as planned unless the government decided otherwise.
“The fare hike will hurt people who have already been affected by the economic fallout of Covid-19. The average minimum wage of Bangkokians is 331 baht. If they have to take a return trip on the Green Line, which will amount to 208 baht, they will have only 123 baht left for their daily expenses, which is not liveable,” Yutthapong pointed out.
“I therefore urge the prime minister to suspend the fare hike before February 16, and also launch an investigation into why the interior ministry and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration [BMA] have not obeyed the Cabinet’s order of November 26, 2018, which stipulates that the BMA must borrow money to pay off debts from Green Line operational costs to the Bangkok Mass Transit System [BTSC],” he said.
THE NATION (THAILAND)/ASIA NEWS NETWORK