Senators to hold NGV-bus seminar

The 40 senators believe the new fleet should be run by a company, not the state-owned Bangkok Mass Transit Authority. They say the BMTA has failed to curb corruption and provide quality service to commuters.

Senator Paiboon Nititawan said yesterday the bus-leasing project would always face public opposition if the BMTA ran it.

He said the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) should study whether the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration should oversee the project and assign another independent agency or a firm to run it, or run it itself.

BMTA executives had failed to stamp out graft, Paiboon said, adding that their inept management had led to leaking, poorly main-tained buses.

"They should put the public interest first by providing quality service at reasonable fares with buses in good condition, so taxpayers' money is well spent," he said.

The seminar will feature speakers from agencies such as the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Office of the Auditor-General, the NESDB and the Foundation for Consumers.