Nation Thailand
Phiphat turns to phased rail fare plan as debt limits delay common-ticket buyback
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Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says Thailand’s common-ticket policy will move forward in phases, as public debt constraints delay the MRTA’s plan to buy back electric rail concessions, prompting the ministry to seek a 200-billion-baht funding model while pushing a 17-45 baht fare cap as short-term relief for commuters.
Key facts
- The World’s richest 10% causing environmental damage worth $5.7 trillion annually
- Phiphat said the government remains unable to allow the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand to use its budget to buy back electric rail projects from private operators and bring them under a unified ticketing system, due to limits
- The minister acknowledged that the fundraising process and preparation of the back-end system would take around 1.5 to two years, meaning the full common-ticket structure may not be ready until 2028.
- The 20-baht fare policy was first piloted on the Red Line and Purple Line in October 2023 as a cost-of-living measure.
- The ministry has also indicated that major contracts, including the Green Line concession, are due to expire in 2029, after which assets would return to the state and give the government more room to reconsider broader fare policies
Summary
Phiphat said the government remains unable to allow the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand to use its budget to buy back electric rail projects from private operators and bring them under a unified ticketing system, due to limits linked to public debt management.
Following discussions with the Ministry of Finance, he said the government sees a 200-billion-baht fundraising model as a possible way to finance the rail buyback without directly affecting public debt.