
Flat fare a good start
It will apply to all eight Bangkok electric train lines with public registration starting in August via the "Tang Rat" mobile app, according to the Ministry of Transport. It's not yet in place, but the public and critics are already wondering how long this generous fare subsidy will last. The fare cap for electric trains and subways in the capital is one of Pheu Thai Party's election promises.
While many of the party's bold visions such as the Land Bridge or the casino entertainment complex have fallen flat, the fare cap scheme is perhaps one singular visible achievement that Pheu Thai-led government can brag about. No doubt the party hopes that voters will reward it at the next election.
The subsidy will require a budget of seven billion baht a year to keep all city train and subway routes capped at 20 baht. For this year, Deputy PM and Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit forked out the money from the State Railway of Thailand's budget.
Some critics say the subsidy unfairly takes money that should go into improving the railway system overall. A bigger problem is that the subsidy could actually cost more than budgeted. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, which oversees the crowded Green Line, reports needing 11 billion baht in compensation for the line's operations every year.
Mr Suriya last year floated the idea of collecting a congestion fee from private vehicles to fund the subsidy. This approach has been adopted in many cities around the world including London and Singapore but unfortunately did not pan out. His plan to pass a law to create a common ticketing system for electric trains also failed to gain traction.
Consumers, of course, have been waiting for more than a decade for governments to develop a convenient ticketing system that works on subways and skytrains without incurring extra fees when they switch between the two. Yet the bigger question is whether the fare cap helps improve connectivity and convenience over the mass transport system, or is just a populist handout intended to appease voters? Unfortunately, the fare cap works like a short-term painkiller to ease the cost of living. There is no systematic or follow-up plan to improve connectivity and the quality of public bus services that will feed commuters to city trains and subways.
Without better connectivity between city trains, subways and public buses, the fare cap will only encourage some people, perhaps not many, to leave their cars at home and use state-provided mass transit.
The government deserves praise for trying to fulfil its pledge and help cut transport costs. But what the public want is a sustainable model that makes public transport accessible and ensures its quality. A fare cap subsidy which comes and goes at the will of elected politicians is not that.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Bangkok Post
7 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Time for this unnecessary war to end
It was a war everyone saw coming. After weeks of provocations and inflammatory rhetoric across the Thai–Cambodian border since May 28, the failure to de-escalate tensions finally erupted into deadly border skirmishes. Despite diplomatic efforts, no fruitful progress was made. As diplomacy faltered, ultra-nationalism made inroads, and rhetoric gave way to border clashes beginning last Thursday. The militaries on both sides now face mounting public pressure to defend their respective motherlands. In such a climate, a tit-for-tat escalation was almost inevitable. Talk of a ceasefire has yet to be translated into meaningful action. Thailand has agreed in principle, while Cambodia wants an immediate ceasefire, but no cessation of hostilities has occurred on the ground. Beyond the battlefields, domestic challenges in both countries have further fueled the conflict. In Thailand, the Pheu Thai-led coalition is struggling to maintain stability. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's political future now hangs in the balance after the Constitutional Court suspended her from office following a leaked, deeply damaging phone conversation with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. Once seen as a diplomatic asset -- thanks to her father Thaksin's long-standing ties with Hun Sen -- that connection has turned into a liability for the Shinawatra family. Their private feuds have become a public liability that severs diplomatic channels. In Cambodia, Hun Sen, though no longer prime minister, remains the country's power centre as he backs his son, Prime Minister Hun Manet, much to the chagrin of the ruling Cambodia People's Party's old and young apparatus. But the economic headwinds are more intense. Cambodia faces a potential 36% tariff hike from the United States, reduced from an earlier proposal of 49%. If Phnom Penh fails to secure a deal with the Trump administration by Friday, Hun Sen's legacy and Cambodia's growth prospects will be thrown into jeopardy. Against this backdrop, President Donald Trump has phoned both Thai and Cambodian leaders, urging them to hold ceasefire talks; otherwise, ongoing trade negotiations with the US will be halted. Once again, Mr Trump is weaponising tariffs as diplomatic leverage, with his team hoping the ultimatum will bring an end to the fighting. Since Cambodia's independence in 1953, Thailand has always regarded it as a close neighbour and an integral part of the Asean family. Thailand also played an important role in the peace process, nation-building and development through the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements and Cambodia's membership in Asean in 1999. At the special private meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last week, the two countries brought their cases for all to see. For many council members, the speed and ferocity of the conflict -- given the relatively stable ties that followed the 2011 border clashes -- came as a big surprise. That period, particularly during the Prayut Chan-o-cha government, had been marked by cordial relations and personal rapport between leaders. However, relations gradually turned sour after Pheu Thai returned to power in 2023. Initially, optimism prevailed. When Ms Paetongtarn assumed office in September 2024, it signalled a fresh chapter with Cambodia's new premier, Hun Manet. Both leaders, bolstered by the backing of domineering influential fathers, promised deeper ties. That hope vanished after their fallout over the leaked private phone call between Hun Sen and Ms Paetongtarn. Tensions rose further after Thaksin proposed cuts to the defence budget, arguing the military had consumed too much public funding. Then came Thursday. According to Thai officials, Cambodian artillery shells struck civilian areas in Thailand's Surin province early that morning, hitting community areas and a hospital. The attacks killed more than a dozen villagers. The Thai military quickly retaliated with precision airstrikes on military targets by deploying F-16s to target military installations across the border. Thailand's response was formally outlined by Ambassador Cherdchai Chaivaivid, its Permanent Representative to the UN, during the UNSC briefing. He emphasised that Thailand was the victim of Cambodia's "indiscriminate attacks" on civilians, and that its retaliation was defensive, proportionate, and limited to military targets. In a related move, Thailand submitted letters to the United Nations Children's Fund and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urging them to condemn Cambodia's strikes that endangered civilian lives, especially children. As Thai armed forces mobilise further, nationalist sentiment is intensifying. With over 130,000 civilians evacuated and artillery still falling on Surin and nearby provinces, a real ceasefire appears remote. Given the current public sentiment, the Thai military is unlikely to agree to any truce unless Cambodia halts all attacks on civilians and commits to negotiations in good faith. At the global level, Cambodia utilised its diplomatic adroit skills to internationalise the conflict further. Phnom Penh made a pre-emptive request for a UN Security Council meeting within hours after launching its dawn assault. It was a calculated attempt to shift the blame to Thailand. Finally, the UNSC meeting was held and concluded without a resolution. Overall, the council members expressed concerns, but some of them deemed the armed clashes as not yet a threat to international peace and security. As such, the issue was neither placed on the UNSC agenda nor referred to the International Court of Justice for further action, as Cambodia had demanded. While Thailand has consistently said it prefers bilateral resolution, it has not completely rejected third-party facilitation. Asean Chair Malaysia, under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has offered a potential path forward. Mr Anwar, seen as a neutral and principled actor, is well-positioned to serve as an honest broker who can create an environment in which Asean members can begin to mend ties. As of this writing, Thai and Cambodian delegations were set to meet in Kuala Lumpur on Monday to negotiate a ceasefire under the Asean chair, as host and observer. It is hoped that the two sides will agree to return to the conditions that existed before May 2025. The ceasefire must also cover the protection of civilians, cultural heritage and humanitarian access. Most importantly, they have to adhere to international humanitarian law. Another critical element is preventing and stopping information warfare against one another. The information operation, both offline and online, has already sown the seeds of mutual hostile feelings for generations to come. In the longer term, the revival of existing bilateral mechanisms will be essential. These frameworks, which have been used in the past to ease tensions and foster cooperation, can help restore trust. But with blood already spilt, reconciliation will not be quick. Ending this unnecessary war must now be at the top of the agenda. Both sides must ensure that such unwarranted armed conflict does not recur for the sake of the well-being of Thais and Cambodians.

Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Evacuee slams Thai PM Paetongtarn for indifference
Suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has visited an evacuation centre in Surin province amid escalating tension along the border with Cambodia, where she was admonished by an evacuee who blasted the government's indifference and slow reaction. Ms Paetongtarn visited this northeastern province on Sunday to offer moral support and distribute basic supplies to residents who have been displaced by the border skirmishes. However, the visit was marked by public frustration over the government's handling of the conflict, with one displaced resident confronting the suspended premier for her indifference to the plight of those affected. After arriving in Surin shortly after noon on Sunday, Ms Paetongtarn made her way to a shelter in Muang district to offer support and distribute supplies. As she arrived at the shelter, Chayanuch Choksukudom, who was displaced from her home in Kap Choeng district along the border, approached her to express her plight. However, upon stepping out of her vehicle, Ms Paetongtarn proceeded directly into the shelter, seemingly unaware of the woman's presence. An aide informed Ms Chayanuch that the premier would return to speak to her, to which she responded emotionally: 'So heartless.' Speaking to the media afterward, Ms Chayanuch expressed deep disappointment over what she perceived as the prime minister's indifference. 'I feel so hurt by Ung Ing's words,' she said, referring to the prime minister by her nickname. 'The government's handling [of the border situation] is very slow. Thai people should not die in vain. Right now, the whole country is in pain.' She urged Ms Paetongtarn to reconsider her approach. 'I want her to truly open her heart and see how much we're suffering. We understand there are interests involved, but please, think again and act anew — for the nation and its people,' Ms Chayanuch said. She was referring to critics' claim that the border flare-up was due to a personal dispute between her father Thaksin and Cambodian strongman Hun Sen — an accusation which the ruling Pheu Thai Party has denied. Ms Paetongtarn has been suspended from acting as prime minister since the beginning of this month pending a court ruling on her controversial phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. She holds a concurrent cabinet position as the culture minister.

Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Pheu Thai blames scam crackdown, not family feud, for border hostilities
The Pheu Thai Party has dismissed allegations that the Thai-Cambodia border dispute stems from personal or political rivalries between the Shinawatra and Hun Sen families, instead attributing it to Phnom Penh's dissatisfaction with Thailand's aggressive crackdown on Cambodia-based online scam centres. Pheu Thai Party MP and spokesman Danuporn Punnakanta said on Sunday that the root of the issue lies in Cambodian leaders' discontent over Thailand's efforts to dismantle cross-border online scam operations based in Cambodia. He pointed to Phnom Penh's refusal to join a planned trilateral mechanism involving Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar to jointly tackle transnational cybercrime, join, claiming that it would handle the matter independently. 'It's not a conflict between individuals or political dynasties like the Shinawatra and Hun Sen families,' Mr Danuporn said. 'It's about the fallout from cybercrime suppression. Key figures in Cambodia are being affected, and there is growing evidence to support this.' He cited the Thai arrest warrant issued for Kok An, an alleged Cambodian scam-backer and casino owner who was reportedly close to Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. Authorities have also frozen significant assets and are working with Interpol to pursue international legal action against those involved. Mr Danuporn said although the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border remains tense, Thai security agencies are in full control and have put in place comprehensive measures to ensure public safety and defuse the situation. He stressed that the government remains committed to resolving the issue peacefully through established bilateral channels. The Foreign Ministry has set up a task force to assess international impacts, coordinate with embassies, and prepare humanitarian measures should the fighting linger. 'The government places great importance on diplomacy in easing tensions, and we want the public to rest assured that we are addressing the issue on all fronts—security, military, diplomatic, and the protection of people's lives and property—all of which are top priorities for the government,' said the Pheu Thai spokesman.