DRT proposes transfer of Green and Gold Lines back to MRTA

Thansettakij•Economy•1d ago

Reader Briefing

The Department of Rail Transport is moving to transfer the management of the Green and Gold Line electric trains from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration back to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand.

•A meeting will be held this week or next to accelerate the transfer of assets, liabilities, and contract amendments.
•The Gold Line and certain Green Line extensions can be transferred immediately via government-to-government accounting.
•Main Green Line sections under concession until 2029 will see the government attempt to replace the private contractor with the MRTA.
•The government aims for all train lines to support a common ticketing system via EMV by the new year 2027.

Overview

•A meeting of the Electric Train Fare Driving Committee will occur this week or next week to expedite the transfer process.
•The Department of Rail Transport will transfer the Gold Line (Krung Thon Buri-Khlong San) and Green Line extensions (On Nut-Bearing, Taksin-Bang Wa, Mo Chit-Saphan Mai-Khu Khot, and Bearing-Samut Prakan) via government-to-government accounting.
•The main Green Line sections (Mo Chit-On Nut and National Stadium-Saphan Taksin) have concession contracts ending in 2029.
•The government plans to change the contracting party for the main Green Line from private entities to the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand.
•Pichet Kunathamraks stated that the 17-45 baht fare policy will be implemented via state subsidies to citizens, allowing private operators to continue collecting fares per original contracts.
•The Department of Rail Transport is coordinating with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and operators to install additional EMV card readers on the Green Line, starting with mobile readers at special gates for the disabled.
•Pichet Kunathamraks encourages the use of EMV cards over Rabbit cards because EMV allows the state to clear funds between lines in real-time and verify Thai nationality via banks.
•The government targets all train lines to support payment systems for a common ticketing policy by the new year 2027.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Read on Thansettakij (Thai Version)View in Google Translate

Source: Thansettakij (Original)

Key Quotes

Pichet Kunathamraks

"Regarding the 17-45 baht fare policy, I confirm there is no problem even with existing concession contracts, as the principle is that the state will provide subsidies directly to the people."

นโยบายค่าโดยสารในราคา 17-45 บาทนั้น ยืนยันว่าไม่มีปัญหาแม้จะยังติดสัญญาสัมปทานเดิม เพราะหลักการคือรัฐจะเป็นผู้ให้เงินอุดหนุน (Subsidy) แก่ประชาชนโดยตรง

Pichet Kunathamraks

"I confirm that the right to the 17-45 baht fare is limited to Thai nationals only, as the EMV system can verify Thai identity through banks."

ยืนยันว่าสิทธิการใช้ค่าโดยสารราคา 17-45 บาท จำกัดให้เฉพาะคนไทยเท่านั้น เนื่องจากระบบ EMV สามารถตรวจสอบตัวตนของชาติไทยผ่านธนาคาร

Key Entities

Person

Pichet Kunathamraks(พิเชฐ คุณาธรรมรักษ์)

Director General of the Department of Rail Transport.

Organization

Department of Rail Transport(กรมการขนส่งทางราง)ℹ️

The government agency overseeing the transfer of electric train lines and EMV system implementation.

Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand(การรถไฟฟ้าขนส่งมวลชนแห่งประเทศไทย)ℹ️

The agency to which the Green and Gold Line trains are being transferred.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration(กรุงเทพมหานคร)ℹ️

The current entity overseeing the Green and Gold Line trains before their transfer.

Electric Train Fare Driving Committee(คณะกรรมการขับเคลื่อนค่าโดยสารรถไฟฟ้า)

The committee meeting to accelerate asset and liability transfers and contract amendments.

Place

Green Line(รถไฟฟ้าสายสีเขียว)

An electric train system involving main sections and extensions being transferred to the MRTA.

Gold Line(รถไฟฟ้าสายสีทอง)

An electric train system serving the Krung Thon Buri-Khlong San section being transferred to the MRTA.

Policy

Common Ticketing Policy(นโยบายระบบตั๋วร่วม)

A policy aimed at having all train lines support a unified payment system by the new year 2027.