The number of people using the two extensions of BTS Green Line train service has dropped by about 20.5%, from 340,000 to 270,000 a day, since the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) started collecting fares on January 2nd.
According to a well-informed source in the BMA, about 250,000 passengers used the Mor Chit-Khu Khot extension and about 90,000 used the Baring-Kheha extension per day during the free ride period. After the imposition of the 15-baht fare on each of the two extensions, however, the number dropped to about 200,000 and 70,000 per day respectively.
The BMA has, however, managed to collect at least four million baht per day in fares.
The source said that the BMA believes that BTS Group Holdings, operator of the Green Line train service, will not file more lawsuits to demand additional compensation from the city administration after a case, still pending with the Administrative Court, in which the company is demanding about 24 billion baht in compensation from the BMA for the operational and maintenance costs for operating the two train extensions free of charge for several years, is decided.
The BMA is confident that any conflict between the BMA and BTS Group Holdings will further ease and, finally, be resolved after the imposition of fares on the two extensions.
An average of 800,000 passengers use the BTS sky train each day and that number increases to about one million per day during long holidays, such as New Year and Songkran, said the source.
