BANGKOK – The Government says it has no plan to bring an end to the long-running program of providing free buses and trains to the public.
Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd, government spokesperson, said Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has a clear policy and commitment to reduce the living expenses of the people, especially low-income earners. Therefore, it is not true that the government will terminate the free bus and train policy, he said. However, he acknowledged that there will be some adjustments to the policy. The spokesman confirmed that the new policy which is now being studied would only allow certain groups of people, low-income earners for instance, to have access to free bus and train travel.
He said the government has to spend its budget in the most efficient way possible while maintaining its support for needy people and low-income groups.
The Transport Ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), is registering all low-income people in the system, a process which is expected to be finished in April 2016. People who earn less than 3,632 baht a month and children under the age of 12 will be eligible for bus and train fare exemptions.
