Free buses and trains to start today

The BMTA will provide nonaircondi¬tioned buses on every route and there will be stickers indicating the free buses.

Deputy Transport Minister Songsak Thongsri said yesterday the ministry believed 800 buses would be enough to meet demand.

The ministry will set a budget of Bt1.22 billion to compensate the BMTA. This is slightly lower than the Bt1.4 billion announced earlier. The government has to compensate the BMTA as it is still losing Bt600 million per month.

BMTA managing director Pinetr Puapatanakul said one bus could carry 120 passengers per trip. The agency would increase services during rush hours and station BMTA officials at bus stops to help passengers.

The Bt1.22billion payment was calcu¬lated on an average cost of Bt8,500 per bus per day. The BMTA is negotiating with the Budget Bureau to pay a subsidy to help its cash flow for salaries and allowances.

Meanwhile, the free railtravel also kicks off today on thirdclass trains provided by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The service will only apply to nonaircondi¬tioned trains.

Free trains will have green signs saying "Free Trains for People".

The routes will run on four lines: north to Den Chai station in Phrae province; southbound as far as Chumphon, Hat Yai and the three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala; northeast to Nakhon Ratchasima and Khon Kaen provinces: and east to Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaew province.