Bangkok Governor Proposes BTS Fare Hike to Offset Massive Operating Losses
BANGKOK – Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced on Monday that the maximum fare for the BTS Skytrain’s Green Line could rise to 65 baht, a significant increase from the current 47 baht cap. The proposed adjustment aims to address the substantial financial burden currently borne by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in subsidizing the system’s operations.
Governor Chadchart revealed that the BMA pays approximately 8 billion baht annually to BTS Group Holdings to operate the Green Line, while annual ticket revenue generates only about 2 billion baht. This results in a 6-billion-baht shortfall that must be covered by the city’s reserve funds. The Governor emphasized that using taxpayer money to subsidize train fares is unfair to the many Bangkok residents who rarely or never use the Green Line service.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said today that the maximum price of a BTS train ticket may be increased from Bt47 to Bt65 , to offset the losses being borne by the city’s administration in helping to ease the financial burden of commuters.
He told the media that the… pic.twitter.com/4vl7WuxIMN
— Thai PBS World (@ThaiPBSWorld) October 8, 2025
To create a more equitable system, Chadchart suggested adjusting the fare structure to better reflect actual operating costs, potentially setting a new maximum fare of 65 baht for end-to-end journeys. He indicated that shorter trips might see reduced fares from the current minimum of 17 baht, though specific details were not provided.
The Governor clarified that the fare issue is separate from the BMA’s outstanding debt to BTS for past operations. He confirmed the administration would settle 32 billion baht of this debt by the end of October, as mandated by the Central Administrative Court. Following this payment, approximately 6 billion baht will remain in the city’s reserve fund, which Chadchart stated must be managed carefully.
Bangkok BTS Green Line Extensions to Start Collecting Fare in January
The proposed fare adjustment comes as the national government has placed on hold a flagship policy of the previous Pheu Thai-led administration that aimed to implement a flat 20-baht fare across all Bangkok rail routes. The announcement signals a potential shift in how Bangkok’s mass transit system is funded, moving away from broad taxpayer subsidies toward a more cost-reflective pricing model.
-Thailand News (TN)
