City to launch card system for travel

Bangkok will introduce a comprehensive e-ticket for public transport in and around the capital starting with 800 Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) buses on Oct 1, Natthaphon Jatusripitak, an adviser to the Commerce Ministry, says.

He said the system — also known as “Mangmoom” (Spider) cards — won cabinet approval on Tuesday and will be installed in 2,600 buses by early next year.

The cards will be integrated with electric train lines including the MRT’s Purple, Green and Blue lines and the Airport Rail Link by next July, he said, adding that express boats will be added later.

The cards will also serve as e-wallets at stores registered under the Ministry of Commerce and double as access points for public welfare, Mr Natthaphon said.

Operations and maintenance of the new system will be overseen by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) in the early stages, he said, adding that midway next year the MRTA will register a separate company to handle revenue, now the task of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning.

The BMTA signed a leasing contract for the so-called common ticketing system last week, according to Deputy Transport Minister Pichit Akrathit.

Mr Pichit said the contract for the 2,600 buses set to be upgraded is worth about 1.6 billion baht. The BMTA will seek five-year concessions, he added.

BMTA acting director Yuk Charupum said the transit authority is aiming to remove 2,000 bus conductors from its books through early retirement plans.

The plans call for them to receive 1 million baht each.

They will no longer be needed as the new system — which even automates discounts — will obviate manual ticket punching, he said.

He said the authority will begin drafting a budget for the innovative scheme next year.