Deputy Government Spokesperson Trisulee Trisaranakul recently announced that the Ministry of Finance is partnering with the Department of Land Transport and the Marine Department to invite public transportation operators to participate in the 2022 State Welfare Program.
Eligible operators include the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), the Transport Company, hired trucks, private joint venture vehicles, and public passenger boats.
Operators can apply for the program at the Passenger Transport Office of the Department of Land Transport or any provincial transport office. The registration period, which began on August 1, has been divided into four rounds.
The first round, from August 1-7, expects to commence services starting October 1. The subsequent rounds will continue on a monthly basis, with each to begin services on the first day of the following month. The final round of applications ends on October 31, with operations anticipated to start on January 1, 2024.
Public passenger boat operators can register at the ship registration office of the Marine Department or any regional port office. There is no set deadline for the applications, enabling operators to apply on an ongoing basis, provided they are willing and able.
According to the government spokesperson, the 2022 State Welfare Program is providing a monthly transportation allowance of 750 baht per person, usable across various public transport systems. These include the BMTA, the Transport Company, the Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT), Bangkok Skytrain (BTS) and the national railway. (NNT)
