BANGKOK, 22 January 2014 The People’s Democratic Reform Committee rallies’ effect on transportation in Bangkok has not yet reached a severe or crippling point, says Transport Minister Chatchart Sitthiphan.
According to Mr. Chatchart, commuting has declined to around 70-80% from the normal 100% level. He attributed the low degree of severity to adjustments made in public transportation systems and people’s adjustment of their commuting behaviors to avoid entering into routes occupied or used by the PDRC.
The number of bus commuters has fallen to 2 million per day, from 3 million. Expressway usage has also dropped. However, the number of users of MRT subway has risen from 2.6 million people to 3 million per day.
As for the news that private operators of the buses servicing Bangkok have planned to raise their fares, the Minister said that the private operators have already been using buses that run on natural gas, which allows them to save significantly on fuel when compared with the state-operated Bangkok Mass Transit Authority buses.
