• 
• 

Published on October 18, 2007

Meanwhile the "consumers network against public bus fare hikes" president Boonchai Rungruangphaisarnsuk is preparing to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court, claiming he has evidence

that private bus operators with concessions from the Transport Co, took the opportunity to increase fares by six satang per kilometre - double the allowed amount.

The network filed the request to the Administrative Court to order an injunction against the fare hikes and to overthrow the transport committee's October 9 decision for the fare hikes, which they claim breached the law.

Fares have increased by 50 satang for city non-air conditioned buses and mini-buses, by Bt1 per sector for air-conditioned buses and by three satang per kilometre for inter province buses.

The hikes for private buses obtaining concessions with the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and those with concessions from the Transport Co took effect on October 15, while hikes for buses under the BMTA and Transport Co will take effect on January 15, 2008.

The Administrative Court has yet to proceed with the case before making a ruling whether to overthrow the decision of the transport committee.

Boonchai said that he would study the court's ruling against the injunction request to see if there were sufficient grounds to file an appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court.

He revealed that private bus operators with concessions from the Transport Co, had already adjusted the fares.

However, some operators, knowing they were allowed to increase by only three satang per one kilometre, hiked the fares by six satang per kilometre.

He said he would ask Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongchaum to investigate.

 The Nation