State wants to end assistance to bus agency

Ministry urges BMTA to stand on its own feet

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

The debt-ridden Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) has been told by the Transport Ministry that it was time the agency ended its dependence on state assistance to keep its business afloat. It has been advised that it overhaul its bus services and charge passengers a new daily flat rate of 30 baht if it wanted to stand on its own feet.

The new fare change would help boost its revenue, said deputy Transport Minister Songsak Thongsri yesterday. But success would largely depend on whether the agency could polish the poor image of city buses, mainly caused by its slipshod concessionaires, and draw a greater number of passengers.

Mr Songsak said it is time the BMTA learned to do without state subsidies, even though the agency is currently struggling to survive due to the oil crisis and a debt of more than 54 billion baht it has accumulated. The BMTA earns a revenue of around 500 million baht each month, but its expenditure is as high as 900 million baht.

But this huge gap would be reduced if a 30-baht flat fare is introduced. At least it would prevent the agency from being stretched too thin, he said.

Under a suggestion being seriously studied by the BMTA, it has been advised to first decommission all non-airconditioned buses, which make up more than half of its fleet of 3,500. Next, it should buy a whole new fleet of 5,300 air-conditioned and NGV-powered buses, and charge commuters a 30-baht flat rate, allowing them to take an unlimited number of trips on its buses a day.

The natural gas for vehicle, or compressed natural gas, will help the BMTA save a lot of money it currently is being forced to spend on diesel. NGV is also a more cleaner and environmentally-friendly fuel.

''The NGV-powered air-conditioned buses would give the BMTA's service a new face, enabling it to also cover more routes,'' Mr Songsak said.

Today, only 600,000 of the roughly two million commuters taking public transport each day to criss-cross the city use the BMTA buses.

Mr Songsak believes if the BMTA goes through a major overhaul as suggested, the number of passengers would shoot up to one million, generating enough income to help the agency cover its monthly expenses and stay afloat. Under the plan, bus tickets would then be sold through an electronic system, ensuring there would be no ''leakage of money'' from its treasury, he said.

Currently, the BMTA fleet accounts for only 20% of the 18,000 city buses. A source at the Transport Ministry said the suggestion needed to be studied thoroughly otherwise it would ''plunge the BMTA into deeper debt''.

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