Bus strike ends as subsidy is agreed

Songsak Thongsri, deputy transport minister, said both the Transport and Energy ministries would seek a Bt2-per-litre subsidy for city buses operating on concessions from the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).

Several thousands of these buses were parked at the ministry in the morning in a protest against the Administrative Court's injunction against a government-approved increase in city bus fares from Bt8.50 to Bt10.

To help ease the burden from the diesel price, which has topped Bt40 per litre, the Bt2-per-litre subsidy will be granted to bus operators for six months, while the state-run BMTA will temporarily waive concession fees.

Chatchai Chaiviset, president of the city bus operators' association, said members agreed to resume their bus runs following the government's proposal for relief.

The government will submit a petition along with more data to substantiate the bus fare hike to the Administrative Court for a review of the court's order.

Critics said most of these ageing city buses had failed to switch to cheaper natural gas for vehicles so their fuel costs had skyrocketed over the past several months.

With the city's fleet of commuter buses largely parked at the ministry all day, long queues formed at many bus stops for BMTA buses and business was brisk for taxis.