3rd Class Free

[GWR]

I believe, however, that 3rd Class Aircon is not free. Only non-aircon 3rd Class is free. I believe also that non-aircon 3rd class carriages are being phased out gradually:

Southern railway authorities beef up security as service becomes free

Director of the Southern Railway Authority Tanongsak Pongprasert (ทนงศักดิ์ พงษ์ประเสริฐ) revealed that security has been beefed up in all major southern rail stations including Had Yai and within the 3 border provinces. The measures are to accommodate the now free usage of the trains as implemented by the government's 6 measures to assist citizens.

Mr. Tanongsak said that security will be markedly increased from the 1st of August onward as there is a projection train user numbers will sky rocket leaving the service vulnerable to attacks and insurgency. Security units from the authority, policy and military have been increased and an evaluation of success will be made following two weeks of free services.

Local railway authorities and agencies are set to meet tomorrow to decipher common measures for security.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglis...d=255107310002

And speaking of freebies:

Songkhla PAD temporarily closes off rally

The Songkhla chapter of the People's Alliance for Democracy has temporarily suspended activity and rallying in front of the Had Yai train station and is planning to hold a ceremony to mark the event later today. The group is ceasing activity in the area so that its members can travel to support the main PAD in Bangkok, stating that the act is to help safeguard against danger during these tense times.

The Songkhla PAD will travel tomorrow via train being operated free by the Railway Union of Thailand. Despite closing off activity, the provincial PAD is still up keeping an office for citizens to contact in Had Yai.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/index.php

[GWR]

RAIL TRAVEL
Free rides in 3rd class, but not all trains

AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

The government's free train travel programme launches tomorrow _ but only on third-class services over a limited distance. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will offer the free rides as part of the government's six-month economic assistance package for the poor.

But the service will be available only on non-airconditioned, third-class, non-express trains.

SRT spokesman Pairat Rojcharoen-ngarm said free rides would be available on 380 carriages of 164 third-class trains and on ''combi'' trains, which have both freight and third-class passenger compartments.

The third-class compartments of combi trains which also have second-class or first-class carriages would not be part of the scheme, nor would the third-class carriages of express services.

Fare-free trains will run on most of the four SRT lines, Mr Pairat said. However, free northbound services would end their runs at the Den Chai station in Phrae province, despite the northernmost destination being Chiang Mai.

Heading south, the free rides would go only as far as Chumphon. Normal fares will apply if passengers from Bangkok wish to go beyond these destinations.

However, there will be 10 free services from Hat Yai to the three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala.

Northeastern journeys will end in Nakhon Ratchasima and Khon Kaen provinces, and the eastern trains will travel to Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo province.

Trains and platforms offering free rides will be marked with green signs.

Passengers will not need to obtain any tickets or passes before boarding the free trains, said Mr Pairat.

The SRT has already cut the fares of express trains on the three suburban routes, from 110 baht to between 20 and 50 baht depending on the distance.

Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/310708_Ne...008_news03.php

[GWR]

Originally Posted by GWR

Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/310708_Ne...008_news03.php

200,000 passengers use free train services during last 3 days

The State Railway of Thailand's (SRT) newly-appointed governor, Mr. Yuthana Thupchareon (ยุทธนา ทัพเจริญ), discloses that more than 200,000 passengers used the SRT’s free train services in the last 3 days. He says no passengers were left out, adding that the highest numbers of passengers are on the SRT’s eastern route, especially from Chachoengsao (ฉะเชิงเทรา) – Hua Ta Khae (หัวตะเข้).

Mr. Yuthana reveals that around 70,000 passengers used SRT’s free services a day, higher by 13 percent compared to last year. He says the number of passengers will be increased because of effective public relation activities and the proximity of Mother’s Day.

Mr. Yuthana says the SRT will ensure that passengers receive adequate free trips, adding that his organization will also focus on cleanliness and safety. He says reports regarding the free public services will be submitted to the Transport Ministry every month. He says passengers who use the third-class seats for commercial purposes will be required to pay for the tickets with normal rate while ordinary commuters will receive a fee exemption.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglis...d=255108040047

[Yappofloyd]

3.6 million ride free - Bkk Post 23/09/08

TRAINS :More than 3.6 million people have taken advantage of the six-months of free train services since it was launched on August 1, Sate Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Yutthana Sapcharoen said yesterday. Southerners top the number of passengers who use the free 164 third-class trains on selected routes countrywide, he said.

The free train service is part of the 47 billion baht economic assistance package aimed at helping people cope with inflation by offering free or discounts on transport, electricity, and tap water.

[pong]

as I am very much interested in anything ''free''-the very first Thai wording I learnt to recognise and later analyse-and now being back in BKk for about 10 days and used the free red buses to some extent.
Asking about the trains-noting that several slow locals due to depart at 9.25/10.10 were all labelled free in the windows that still issue needed tickets- the information told me straight away that its for THAI people only.
Later read a full Thai ''plak-an'' in WongWienYai station-this does not strictly say its for Thai citiznes only-but something like ''to assist the Thai people in these times of high prices''- 3d cl train travel is free untill 31/1/2552='09. No green cars and no designated areas-only get the 0 bt tickets. Seems NOT available on the Mahachai route though.
From other travellers-fora I gather that some farang were able to get free tickets on some rural stations. And it certainly does not apply to the Nam Tok line-where farang pay the 100 THB special price anyway/any distance!

[GWR]

Train, bus services set for six months added free fares


[Photo: MCOT]

BANGKOK, Jan 10 (TNA) -- Trains and buses are ready to offer free services to the Thai public for another six months, beginning in February, in line with the government's decision to ease the hardships of the poor.

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Yutthana Thapcharoen said his agency will comply with the government's order by extending free service on third class trains, mainly the northeastern provinces.

Currently, 172 train services on third class are offered free to passengers traveling to the North and South on a daily basis, Mr. Yutthana said, adding that the SRT plans initially to offer free service to passengers traveling to the northeastern provinces of Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani.

Between two to four carriages will be offered free to passengers traveling to the two provinces and the SRT may increase the routes in future if they are proven popular, he said.

Since the free train service, part of the six relief measures implemented by the previous government of Samak Sundaravej has been launched nearly six months ago, the SRT has received a government subsidy of Bt60-90 million monthly. It plans to seek an added subsidy of Bt650 million for the next six months to help offset its operational costs.

Meanwhile Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) director Pinet Puapatanakul said his agency had reported its earnings to the Budget Bureau and the Finance Ministry in the past six months when it launches free bus service on some routes in Bangkok and plans to extend the service for another six months as agreed by the government on January 7.

About 800 buses now provide free service, a number which could double during the extension, he said.

The BMTA receives a average subsidy of Bt8,500 per bus per day under the free service plan. (TNA)

Business News : Last Update : 15:52:33 10 January 2009 (GMT+7:00)

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=8095

[pong]

thanks for this message-positive news for me-I reckon Ive made some 100+ free rides during my last stay. It apparently thus seems that all red buses will run for free the next 6 monthes. Anyway it seemed that most cash-strapped passengers turned to the free buses anyway-the payable red ones were mostly empty. OTOH more and more yellow buses and new white metrobusroutes are starting to appear-to cater for the more affluent passengers.

[Yappofloyd]

The problem of introducing such populist policies is that the electorate, especially those your trying to win over, expect it to continue indefinately. It was a good idea last year for the poor when commodity prices were high and inflation was a concern but now we are in a deflationary period, albeit with job losses.

For a cash strapped SRT & BMTA, ultimately the taxpayer, a long term extension does not help the bottom line and it will be a brave Democrat led govt. that discontinues this program any time before the next election.

Travel, power, water subsidy extended BangkokPost.com 14/07/2009
The cabinet on Tuesday approved the Finance Ministry's proposal to extend five economic measures aimed at cushioning people's economic hardship for another six months. The extension of the relief measures for low-income earners was proposed by the Ministry of Finance. The five measures due to expire at the end of this month.

The measures are: free tap water and electricity for low-volume users, free rides on some public buses and some third-class train carriages, and a freeze on the price of cooking gas.

Banthoon Suphakvanich, director of the Budget Bureau, said the continued extension of the subsidies, due to end this month, would be expensive. He thought the subsidies should be continued for only a short period. The “five measures, six months” relief scheme was introduced by the Samak Sundaravej government last year at the beginning of the global recession and continued by the present government.

[Yappofloyd]

Extended for another 6 months and could be made permanent.

PM extends free rides for the poor: Cabinet may introduce permanent fare waiver 30/06/2010 BKK Post

The government is looking to permanently waive the fares on some Bangkok buses and trains to help ease the financial burden on the city's low-income earners.

The proposal was raised yesterday at a meeting of the cabinet where it was agreed to extend free public bus and rail travel and waive electricity bills for the poor for another six months. The programme was due to end today. Subsidies on cooking gas and natural gas for vehicles, which are scheduled to end in August, will also be extended for another six months.

The Finance Ministry was directed to study the possibility of providing some free non-air-conditioned bus and third-class rail travel on a permanent basis as part of the government's public service commitment. "They can no longer be temporary services," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said after the meeting at Government House. The Finance Ministry was not set a time frame to complete the study.

The government at present provides free electricity to households which use less than 90 units a month, free rides on 800 Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) buses operating on 73 routes in Greater Bangkok and free third-class train travel on some routes operated by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

The free services were launched by the People Power Party, backed by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra after it formed the government after the 2007 election. The Democrat Party-led coalition continued the policy after it replaced the People Power Party in government when it was ordered dissolved.

Extending the subsidies for another six months is expected to cost the taxpayer 9.25 billion baht - 7.46 billion baht in lost electricity charges, 1.26 billion baht in lost bus fares and 530 million baht in lost rail revenue.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/tran...s-for-the-poor