Cabinet approves 20-baht electric railway fare project, starting in October

On Tuesday, the Cabinet approved a new initiative to subsidise the electric train fares in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, enabling commuters to pay just 20 baht per trip, according to a government spokesman.

Government Subsidy to Reduce Living Costs

Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub explained that the Cabinet approved the Transport Ministry's proposal to subsidise electric railway fares. This measure aims to alleviate living costs for people in Bangkok and the suburbs. The 20-baht flat fare is one of the urgent policies that the Pheu Thai-led government promised to implement.

Registration Process for the 20-Baht Fare

As electric train services are offered by multiple concessionaires, commuters must register through the Thang Rath app to qualify for the 20-baht fare. Only Thai citizens are eligible, and they will need to provide their 13-digit citizen ID to register for the fare discount.

Registration begins in August, and commuters must link either their Rabbit prepaid card or EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) contactless credit card to the app, depending on the routes they frequently use. The Rabbit card will be valid for the Green Line, Gold Line, Yellow Line, and Pink Line, while the EMV contactless cards will be used for the Red Line, Blue Line, Purple Line, Pink Line, Yellow Line, and Airport Rail Link.

Future Payment Options

In the future, the system will also allow commuters to use QR codes from their bank apps to pay for their fares, providing more convenience and flexibility.

13 Routes and 194 Stations Covered

The 20-baht fare will apply to 13 routes across Bangkok and surrounding provinces, covering 194 stations and a total distance of 279.84 kilometres. The government plans to subsidise the fares using the common ticket fund and other sources of revenue.

Expected Economic, Social, and Environmental Impacts

The government estimates that the project will save approximately 10 million baht in the first year. These savings are expected to have three key impacts:

• Economic Impact: Commuters will save on petrol costs.
• Social Impact: Improved commuter satisfaction and reduced risk of road accidents.
• Environmental Impact: A reduction in carbon emissions.

Project Timeline and Future Evaluation

Once registration begins in August, the project will officially launch on October 1. The government will monitor and assess the project's efficiency to make any necessary improvements in the future.