Driving a hard bargain

Bangkok Post - A key representative of the inter-provincial private bus operators has threatened to lay siege to the Transport Ministry later this month if it fails to respond positively to their demands for a new fare hike.

Suchinda Cherdchai, president of the Association of Inter-provincial Bus Operators, met Transport Minister Santi Prompat yesterday to informally discuss the latest demand that calls for another increase of nine satang per kilometre.

The government has also been urged to suspend for six months the payment of the trip-based fee bus operators are required to make to the state-owned Transport Co, and to reduce the frequency of daily bus trips, which would help them cut operating costs.

Now bus operators must pay a trip fee for every bus operating in their fleet. The fee amounts to the ticket price of one seat on each bus.

Mrs Suchinda said yesterday that she told the minister the bus operators would officially file their new demand at 2pm on Tuesday. If the minister fails to help them, they will park their buses and seal off the entrance to the ministry on Ratchadamnoen avenue.

She said at present fuel costs alone averaged 3,500 baht a trip, but the collected bus fares amount to only 3,200 baht a trip.

"The big problem is the fuel cost. On top of that operators must also pay the trip-based fee to the Transport Co. On some trips, there are only six passengers. I would like to propose the temporary suspension of the fee. Operators cannot shoulder too many costs. They are dying," she said.

In another development, Chairat Sa-nguansue, the acting director-general of the Land Transport Department, said yesterday the new metered taxi fare rate should take effect by next week as officials have almost completed certifying the adjustments.

The new rate demands a minimum fare of 40 baht, instead of 35, for the first two kilometres and a higher progressive fare for longer journeys.

However, Mr Santi said yesterday that he still disagrees with the 40-baht minimum fare.

Authorities in Surat Thani province yesterday approved another fare rise, which will take effect in two months, for ferries going between Don Sak district, Koh Samui island and Koh Phangan island.

Surat Thani deputy governor Damri Boonjing said that for a trip to Koh Samui a passenger will be charged 150 baht, 20 baht more, under the new rates and a four-wheeler 420 baht, an increase of 60 baht.

For a trip to Koh Phangan, a passenger will have to pay 280 baht, 60 baht more, and a four-wheeler 800 baht, or 180 baht more.

The new fares will be charged from July 1.

The northeastern people's assembly said yesterday the group would rally in Bangkok on Tuesday if the government continues to ignore its demand and refuses to come up with relief measures to help its members cope with the higher cost of living, said Choochat Chornsawat, an assembly leader.

Mr Choochat said his group will wait for the government's response on their four-point demand for another five days.