The fares on Bangkok's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses has been cut from 10 baht to five, starting from today and continuing until year’s end, Bangkok deputy governor Amorn Kijchawengkul said on Wednesday.
File Photo
The 5-baht flat rate for the BRT line, running between Sathorn (Chong Nonsi BTS station) and Ratchapruek Road in Thon Buri district, was one of the 10 urgent tasks pledged by Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra during his re-election campaign.
Mr Amorn said the fare cut aimed to attract more commuters to use the BRT system. The service had 20,000 passengers a day during a three-month free trial in 2010, but the number of passengers dropped to 16,000 a day after a flat fare of 10 baht was introduced in September that year, he said.
The deputy governor said the reduced fare would not affect the operation of the BRT buses as the city had allocated a seven-year budget for the service and there were three years remaining.