Welfare cards get MRT boost

State welfare card-holders will finally be able to access the MRT Blue and Purple Line networks from July 20 onwards, Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) governor Pakapong Sirikantaramas has said.

The transit chief made the comments after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding the move was signed comprising the MRTA, the ComptrollerGeneral’s Department (CGD) and Krung Thai Bank Plc on Wednesday.

However, welfare card-holders will have to register their cards at MRT stations before they can actually use the network, Mr Pakapong said.

The MRTA’s registering period started last Friday and runs until July 30, although the cards will officially be able to access the system on July 20.

MRTA reports state 1,887 welfare cardholders travelled to MRT stations asking to register their cards, 1,031 of whom did so at the Blue Line’s stations and the remaining 856 at the Purple Line’s.

However, 10 registrations were unsuccessful due to the applicants not having the relevant type of card for accessing the electric train lines.

According to Mr Pakapong, registration involves a “five to 10-second” scanning procedure for the cards, which will register them with the current Mangmoom (Spider) card network, also overseen by the MRTA.

About 11 million state welfare cards were rolled out last October, as they replaced the previously-free bus and train services provided by the government for around nine years.

They were made available to Thai citizens who earn less than 100,000 baht per year, provided they first register with the Ministry of Finance as a low-income earner.

In addition to monthly funds used to buy groceries, the cards give a collective 1,500 baht per month for public transport, split into three categories.

About 500 baht is allotted for dieselpowered trains, while another 500 baht will be for provincial buses and vans. The final 500 baht is for public buses and electric trains.

However, only 1.3 million welfare cards have been fitted with two chips, the second chip of which is identical to the one used in the common ticketing system’s Mangmoom cards.

These cards have been given to those living in Bangkok and its metropolitan area, while cards given outside this zone will not be able to access the common ticketing system.

CGD director-general Suttirat Rattanachot said a new round of welfare cards will be distributed in October.

The department is currently collecting requests to obtain cards by citizens who are participating in the government’s labour training programmes, she said. Those who are eligible to get the cards may submit the requests to the government officers at the programmes.

“Citizens who did not apply to get the cards the first time may want them now, since they have seen the cards actually being used,” Ms Suttirat said.