BANGKOK, April 20 (TNA) — Bus fares in Bangkok will be raised next Monday as planned if there is no order from the Central Administrative Court, said acting director-general of Land Transport Department Kamol Buranapong.
So far the Central Administrative Court is still considering the issue and if the court does not alter the order of the Central Land Transport Committee (CLTC), then the order would be enforced which means that Bangkok bus fares would be increased in line with the order, said Mr Kamol.
The fare hikes were approved by the CLTC on Decmber 14, 2018, and due to take effect on January 21, giving gave the green light for ordinary and air-conditioned buses to increase fares between 1-7 baht.
The CLTC, however, put the fare rise on hold, citing a need to encourage people to use public transport in the face of haze problems that have been troubling people. The fare hike planm was rescheduled to be implemented on Monday.
Mr Srisuwan Chanya, secretary-general of Association for the Protection of the Constitution, sought the Court’s order to postpone the increase, citing that a large number of poor people will be severely affected as they have to pay more for riding on the public buses.
The group called for the Court to order a review of fares on the public buses as well as cancel the fare rise, saying that the planned increase was not justified because world oil prices had not gone up. (TNA)
