Long distance, city bus fares to rise Jan 15

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Long distance, city bus fares to rise Jan 15

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority and the Transport Co, which runs inter-provincial buses, will increase fares on Jan 15 after earlier freezing the increase for three months, Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen said yesterday.

The state-run bus agencies were ordered to freeze fares for the last three months so that people did not feel the pinch of fare hikes over the New Year.

The Central Land Transport Committee decided to allow bus operators to raise fares to cope with rising fuel prices.

As a result, fares will rise by 50 satang for regular city buses, one baht for air-conditioned city buses and by 30 satang per kilometre for inter-provincial buses.

Meanwhile, the Administrative Court yesterday heard a case in which the Central Land Transport Committee and a director of the Land Transport Department face legal action filed by Boonchai Rungruengpaisansuk, leader of a network against bus fare hikes.

Mr Boonchai told the court some inter-provincial bus operators defied the three-month fare rise freeze and that he doubted if inter-provincial bus operators received the order from the Land Transport Department. The court told Mr Boonchai to lodge a written complaint so it could order officials to investigate whether operators received the order.

He filed a lawsuit on Dec 27 and plans to lodge another against operators of the Khlong Saen Saep shuttle boat and Chao Phraya express boat service for increasing fares on Tuesday.