Transit authority postpones Blue Line fare hike, again

Blue Line subway riders can enjoy the same fare rate for awhile longer, after the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) deferred the planned fare hike which was set to rise today.

Pakapong Sirikantaramas, governor of the MRTA, said the planned fare hike would be postponed until the cabinet approves it. The delay was because the MRTA did not seek the cabinet’s approval.

Mr Pakapong did not say why the agency did not consult with the cabinet. This is the second delay after the cabinet rejected the MRTA’s request to raise the Blue Line fare last June.

The planned price increase involves charging an extra 1 baht per station for each passenger’s fifth, eighth and 11th stations. The current Blue Line has a total of 18 stations. Thus, some riders passing these stations will have to to pay a maximum of 3 extra baht. However, the overall rate will be capped at 42 baht.

According to the MRTA’s concession contracts with the Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM), the operator of the subways, the concessionaire is allowed to hike fares every two years based on the rate of inflation and consumer price indexes.

The latest hike was originally planned to commence as of July 3, but it was rejected by the cabinet in June. The cabinet said the MRTA did not give enough advance notice for the public to be aware of the impending fare changes.

Mr Pakapong said yesterday the BEM agreed to postpone the fare hikes. An official statement released by the firm said it would observe the same fares “until there are any further changes”.

The MRTA is set to open two Blue Line extensions by 2020.