reader Posted Friday at 11:26 AM Posted Friday at 11:26 AM From Bangkok Post Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered free public transport in Bangkok for one week, starting Saturday, in response to worsening air pollution as dust levels have surged across all districts of the capital. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, also a deputy prime minister, said on Friday that the prime minister wanted the ministry and concerned agencies to address the high levels of particulate matter 2.5 micrometres and smaller (PM2.5) in Bangkok. From Jan 25 to 31, people will be given free services on buses and electric trains, said Mr Suriya. He has coordinated with the operators of Bangkok Transit System Plc (BTS) and Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company (BEM) to provide free rides for electric train passengers. The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) has also agreed to offer free bus services for the entire week. Bangkok on Friday was ranked as the fourth worst city in the world for air quality, according to the latest data from Swiss-based IQAir. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2946785/pm-orders-week-of-free-public-transport-to-combat-pm2-5 TMax and floridarob 2 Quote
TMax Posted Friday at 11:42 PM Posted Friday at 11:42 PM Trains are packed so hope they are putting more on for this period, I suppose doing this is easier than stopping all the burning. reader 1 Quote
khaolakguy Posted Saturday at 02:31 AM Posted Saturday at 02:31 AM Realistically how many car owners, if any, will switch to public transport because it is now free.................. The motivation for driving their cars was never financial. TMax, vinapu and daydreamer 3 Quote
reader Posted Monday at 02:22 PM Author Posted Monday at 02:22 PM On 1/24/2025 at 6:42 PM, TMax said: Trains are packed so hope they are putting more on for this period, I suppose doing this is easier than stopping all the burning. Friend in Bangkok used BTS today and confirms that many more riders are taking advantage of free fares. Said he had to wait for several trains to pass before his queue could board so doesn't sound like additional service was provided. daydreamer and TMax 2 Quote
Keithambrose Posted Monday at 02:49 PM Posted Monday at 02:49 PM 26 minutes ago, reader said: Friend in Bangkok used BTS today and confirms that many more riders are taking advantage of free fares. Said he had to wait for several trains to pass before his queue could board so doesn't sound like additional service was provided. And they still only have 4 carriages,wl with platforms built for 5! TMax and daydreamer 2 Quote
vinapu Posted Monday at 03:50 PM Posted Monday at 03:50 PM I confirm that on both weekend day trains were more packed than normally. Airlink this morning seemed normal. Passenger are still requred to obtain tokens or tap Rabbit card normal way. It's just no money is, requires to get it and no money is, deducted from balance on card upon leaving system. tm_nyc, daydreamer and TMax 3 Quote
reader Posted Monday at 05:41 PM Author Posted Monday at 05:41 PM From Bangkok Post Train ridership surged 60% across Greater Bangkok on Sunday, the second day of the government’s week-long offer of free public transport to help combat air pollution, the Department of Rail Transport (DRT) said on Tuesday. DRT director-general Pichet Kunathammarak said ridership on the city's electric train network shot up 60.90% on Sunday, to 1,549,622 trips, over the three previous Sundays in January. The figure was up on the 45.29% growth in Saturday’s ridership, the first day of the free public transport campaign. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2948581/free-public-transport-gives-big-boost-to-bangkok-train-trip-numbers daydreamer and TMax 2 Quote
floridarob Posted Tuesday at 05:50 AM Posted Tuesday at 05:50 AM 14 hours ago, vinapu said: Airlink this morning seemed normal. does that signal your departure? bkkmfj2648 1 Quote
Olddaddy Posted Tuesday at 07:10 AM Posted Tuesday at 07:10 AM 16 hours ago, reader said: Friend in Bangkok used BTS today and confirms that many more riders are taking advantage of free fares. Said he had to wait for several trains to pass before his queue could board so doesn't sound like additional service was provided. Oh just push in ,as the doors open I tend to run to the front and push in ,even as people are getting out I'm walking in saying loudly "excuse me ! Excuse me !! 🗣️🤷♂️ Quote
Members daydreamer Posted Tuesday at 07:37 AM Members Posted Tuesday at 07:37 AM Ridership is up so much on the MRT, that I saw the ticket booth agents breaking open big new packs of shiny black tokens today when I went to Yaowarat. Quote
Keithambrose Posted Tuesday at 12:50 PM Posted Tuesday at 12:50 PM 5 hours ago, Olddaddy said: Oh just push in ,as the doors open I tend to run to the front and push in ,even as people are getting out I'm walking in saying loudly "excuse me ! Excuse me !! 🗣️🤷♂️ What was that post about foreigners behaving badly? Raposa, khaolakguy, floridarob and 1 other 2 2 Quote
vinapu Posted Tuesday at 02:10 PM Posted Tuesday at 02:10 PM 8 hours ago, floridarob said: does that signal your departure? Yes, from Bangkok but like they say " I will be back" soon floridarob 1 Quote
macaroni21 Posted yesterday at 01:58 AM Posted yesterday at 01:58 AM On 1/27/2025 at 10:49 PM, Keithambrose said: And they still only have 4 carriages,wl with platforms built for 5! I haven't looked closely, but I think the BTS platforms are built for 6 carriages. The BTS and MRT systems were already packed when I visited in December, It can hardly get worse now that the government has mandated free rides. But it is also because of government interference like this that the system is still running on 4 carriages (and sub-optimum frequency too). As I mentioned in a recent post https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2025/01/02/bangkok-miscellany-nov-dec-2024/ the government ordered the BTS system operator to build extensions to the suburbs, then mandated free trial runs, but has not paid what they owed to the system operator. The dispute is mired in court suits. BTS is limping along with perennial cash flow problems as a result. How are they to buy additional rolling stock to alleviate the crowding? tm_nyc, TMax and vinapu 3 Quote
Keithambrose Posted 7 hours ago Posted 7 hours ago 21 hours ago, macaroni21 said: I haven't looked closely, but I think the BTS platforms are built for 6 carriages. The BTS and MRT systems were already packed when I visited in December, It can hardly get worse now that the government has mandated free rides. But it is also because of government interference like this that the system is still running on 4 carriages (and sub-optimum frequency too). As I mentioned in a recent post https://shamelessmacktwo.travel.blog/2025/01/02/bangkok-miscellany-nov-dec-2024/ the government ordered the BTS system operator to build extensions to the suburbs, then mandated free trial runs, but has not paid what they owed to the system operator. The dispute is mired in court suits. BTS is limping along with perennial cash flow problems as a result. How are they to buy additional rolling stock to alleviate the crowding? Yes, I'm aware of the dispute. It's just typical. I remember how long it took to build the first line, endless delays, and the mad idea to have only a single line at Saphan Taksin. Not exactly forward thinking. A bit like the UK, and Heathrow! vinapu 1 Quote
