BANGKOK, Oct 27 — Thailand’s Ministry of Transport is considering a congestion fee for Bangkok to alleviate traffic and support affordable electric train fares.
According to The Bangkok Post, Thailand’s Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit announced on Tuesday plans for a six to 12-month feasibility study.
It will evaluate the introduction of charges for vehicles on heavily trafficked roads running parallel to train routes, he added.
The proposed fee would range from 40 to 50 baht (approximately RM5.15 to RM6.45) per vehicle.
Revenue generated from the congestion fee is intended for a 200-billion-baht fund to acquire operating rights for rail routes currently managed by private companies, allowing the government to offer electric train fares capped at 20 baht (US$0.59) per trip.
Suriya noted that this initiative aims to encourage greater use of electric trains over personal vehicles, as personal transport accounts for 68.7 per cent of travel in Bangkok.
As of 2022, Bangkok had 10.67 million registered vehicles, slightly outnumbering its 10.53 million residents.
Personal vehicles are said to account for more than two-thirds (68.7 per cent) of overall travel in Bangkok, followed by public transport (20.2 per cent), walking (5 per cent), taxis (4.2 per cent) and buses (1.9 per cent).
