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Published on November 21, 2007

Marine Department Direc-tor-General Prasong Tanman-eewatana said the boat-fare scrutinising committee had yesterday agreed to increase the fares of boats and ferries.

Express boat companies operating services along the Chao Phya River could increase their fare by Bt1 per sector, river-crossing ferries by 50 satang, and boats working along Klong Saen Saeb by Bt2 per sector.

The proposals will go to the Transport Ministry for approval and the hikes will take effect possibly by January 15, Prasong said.

He said the department would also encourage boat-service providers to switch to NGV to generate more income and save fuel costs.

Orange-flagged express boats (Nonthaburi-Wat Ratchasingkhon) that currently charge a flat rate of Bt13 will increase their fares to Bt15, while yellow-flagged express boats (Nonthaburi-Sathorn) that currently charge Bt18 flat rate would increase their fares to Bt20.

Normal express boats, which currently charge Bt9 to Bt13, would increase to Bt10 to Bt14, while river-crossing ferries, which normally charge Bt2 per round trip, will charge Bt2.50.

The Marine Department

had initially wanted to implement the fare hikes from December 1, according to the boat operators' wishes, but the Transport Ministry wanted to maintain the current rates until the end of the year.  Vice President of the Thai Boat Association, Parinya Rakwa-thin, yesterday said they had wanted to have the fare hikes effective from December 1, because the price of oil had increased by 42 per cent and these fare hikes were the first in two years.

He said he would meet with the Transport Minister soon to discuss it.

 The Nation