Joint ticket sought for Bangkok transit
The Nation: 25 Jan 2010
Meeting today on joint ticketing
By Watcharapong Thongrung The Nation
Published on January 25, 2010
The Transport Ministry will meet with state agencies and private operators today to seek ways to speedily introduce a joint ticketing system for passengers using Bangkok's various mass-transit systems.
Permanent secretary Suphot Sublom said the ministry would meet with several agencies and operators - including the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), Bangkok Metro and Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) - to discuss how to speedily bring in a joint ticketing system for use on the Skytrain, the subway and the BMTA's public buses, as well as the express boats of Chao Phraya Express Boat Co.
A unified system would enable commuters to conveniently use a single card for all of Bangkok's main transport systems. The operators could also benefit by jointly launching promotional campaigns.
Last November, the ministry hosted the signing of a memorandum of understanding between BTS, Bangkok Metro, the State Railway of Thailand and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand to jointly develop a unified ticketing system. However, the project has until now made no progress.