Congestion pricing in Bangkok

Last updated

In October 2024, Thailand's Ministry of Transport announced plans to implement congestion pricing on drivers entering roads in inner Bangkok. [1] [2] [3] Bangkok is among the most congested cities in the world, with navigation-device maker TomTom NV's 2019 global congestion index ranking it 11th. [4]

Contents

Early plans

In 1971, the World Bank-funded Bangkok Transportation Study proposed restriction on vehicle usage and ownership, but was not implemented. [5]

This fee was most recently proposed in 2022 following a 5-year study by German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit and Thai transport authorities. [6] [7] The study proposed charging fees ranging from 50 to 120 baht across various city zones. [6]

Current proposal

Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit proposed a 40-50 baht congestion charge to fund a 20 baht maximum flat fare for all electric rail lines in the greater Bangkok region. [1] [8] Juangroongruangkit suggested the pricing scheme would be modeled after successful programs in other cities, including London. [1] Governor of Bangkok Chadchart Sittipunt announced his support for the proposal, and advocated for an expansion of the city's rail and bus network. [9] The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) is analyzing similar schemes in other cities. [10]

The charge is planned for roads with electric rail lines, including Sukhumvit, Silom, and Ratchadaphisek roads. [1] The ministry plans to spend six months to a year to conduct a study of the plan, expected to be completed by mid-2025. [1] [11] [12]

On 24 October 2024, People's Party MP Suphanat Meenchainan suggested the government should prioritize public bus networks, rather than congestion fees that would benefit private train operators. [13] He also questioned if the Ministry of Transport would be able to reform the mass transit system within the promised six months. [13] Deputy Minister of Transport Surapong Piyachote responded that the ministry is working to increase accountability, adding the fee would not benefit investors or businesses. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congestion pricing</span> System of surcharging users of public goods

Congestion pricing or congestion charges is a system of surcharging users of public goods that are subject to congestion through excess demand, such as through higher peak charges for use of bus services, electricity, metros, railways, telephones, and road pricing to reduce traffic congestion; airlines and shipping companies may be charged higher fees for slots at airports and through canals at busy times. Advocates claim this pricing strategy regulates demand, making it possible to manage congestion without increasing supply.

Allegations of corruption during the development of Suvarnabhumi Airport, the newest international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand, have been made since the project's inception. These allegations started in the 1970s, when land for the airport was purchased during the dictatorship of Thanom Kittikachorn, and extended to the government of Thaksin Shinawatra, during which most of the construction occurred.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in Thailand</span>

Rail transport plays a crucial role in connecting various regions of Thailand, transporting both goods and passengers through a range of transportation options that include inter-city and commuter rail, mass rapid transit, monorails, and airport rail links. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) operates a network of intercity railways spanning 4,845.1 kilometers, covering 47 provinces across the country. SRT is committed to developing railway lands through its subsidiary, SRT Asset (SRTA), which focuses on transit-oriented development (TOD) initiatives. The Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok serves as the primary transportation hub for rail transport in Thailand, connecting various types of rail transportation throughout the country. It covers an area of 274,192 square meters, making it the largest railway station in Southeast Asia, and is situated in a new central business district (CBD) that is currently being developed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple Line (Bangkok)</span> Rapid transit line in Bangkok, Thailand

The MRT Purple line or MRT Chalong Ratchatham line is Bangkok's fifth rapid transit line, following the Sukhumvit Line, Silom Line, MRT Blue Line, and Airport Rail Link. The line is 23 km (14 mi) long, serving the north-western area of Bangkok running from Tao Poon to Klong Bang Phai in Nonthaburi Province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow Line (Bangkok)</span> Monorail line in Thailand

The MRT Yellow Line or MRT Nakkhara Phiphat Line is an elevated monorail line in Bangkok and Samut Prakan Province, Thailand, part of the MRT rapid transit system. The 28.62 km (17.78 mi) line has 23 stations and cost 55 billion baht. The line was originally proposed in 2005 by the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning to be a heavy rail underground line along Lat Phrao road which was then elevated from Lam Sali Intersection to Samrong. However, it was decided in 2012 to build an elevated monorail line for the whole length in order to reduce construction costs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink Line (Bangkok)</span> Monorail line in Bangkok

The MRT Pink Line is an elevated monorail train line of the MRT in Bangkok and Nonthaburi Province, Thailand. The monorail line is 34.5 kilometres (21.4 mi) long and has 30 stations. It runs in the northern part of the Bangkok Metropolitan Area from Nonthaburi Civic Center in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi along the major east–west transport corridor of Highway 304 to terminate at Min Buri in Min Buri district in east Bangkok. It opened for free public trial operation on 21 November 2023 with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin taking the inaugural ride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangkok Metropolitan Administration</span> Local government in Thailand

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is the local government of Bangkok, which includes the capital of Thailand. The government is composed of two branches: the executive and the legislative. The administration's roles are to formulate and implement policies to manage Bangkok. Its purview includes transport services, urban planning, waste management, housing, roads and highways, security services, and the environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Bangkok</span>

Bangkok has 9.7 million automobiles and motorbikes, a number the government says is eight times more than can be properly accommodated on existing roads. And those numbers are increasing by 700 additional cars and 400 motorbikes every day. Charoen Krung Road, the first road to be built by Western techniques, was completed in 1864. Since then, the road network has expanded to accommodate the sprawling city's needs. Besides roads, Bangkok is served by several other transport systems. Bangkok's canals and ferries historically served as a major mode of transport, but they have long since been eclipsed by land traffic. A complex elevated expressway network and Tollway helps bring traffic into and out of the city centre, but Bangkok's rapid growth has put a large strain on infrastructure. By the late-1970s, Bangkok became known as "the city of traffic disaster". Although rail transport was introduced in 1893 and electric trams served the city from 1894 to 1968, it was only in 1999 that Bangkok's first rapid transit system began operation. Older public transport systems include an extensive bus network and boat services which still operate on the Chao Phraya and two canals. Taxis appear in the form of cars, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region</span> Thai urban rail transit system

The Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, or M-Map, is the latest version in a series of Thai government plans for the development of an urban rail transit network serving the Greater Bangkok area. It was drafted under the care of the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) of the Ministry of Transport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanchanaphisek Road</span> Road in Thailand

Kanchanaphisek Road, also known as the Bangkok Outer Ring Road is a highway in Thailand, connecting Bangkok, Samut Prakan province, Nonthaburi province, Pathum Thani province and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. It consists of multiple sections, including a controlled-access toll road, and almost forms a complete loop around the Bangkok Metropolitan Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Transport (Thailand)</span>

The Ministry of Transport is the ministry of the Government of Thailand responsible for the development, construction, and regulation of the nation's land, marine, and air transportation systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High-speed rail in Thailand</span>

Although Thailand has no operational high-speed rail lines, the country is planning a large high-speed rail network connecting its major cities. The first line of the network is under construction from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, with a planned maximum operational speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Controlled-access highways in Thailand</span>

Controlled-access highways in Thailand are systems that can be used only by cars, trucks, and certain types of buses, forming a spider-web network around the Greater Bangkok area and eventually covering the entire country. Currently, there are three different systems in Thailand. The first system, known as the "Intercity Motorway," is owned and operated by the Department of Highways. The second system is the "Expressway," which is owned by the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) and operated by the Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company (BEM), with some expressway routes directly operated by the EXAT itself. The third system is the "Concession Highway," commonly known as the "Tollway," which is owned by the Department of Highways but operated by a private company. The Tollway currently has one route, the Don Mueang Tollway, operated by the Don Mueang Tollway Public Company.

The Phuket Island Light Rail Transit project is a planned 58.6-kilometre (36.4 mi) MRTA light rail transit system for Phuket and Phang Nga provinces in Thailand. The line will consist of 24 stations running from Takua Thung District in Phang Nga Province to Phuket City and terminating at Chalong intersection. The line will have at-grade and elevated sections. The cost of the project is estimated at 35 billion baht.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit</span> Thai politician (born 1978)

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit is a Thai businessman, politician and activist who served as Leader of the Future Forward Party from 2018 until the party was dissolved in 2020. From 2002 to 2018, Thanathorn was the vice president of the Thai Summit Group, Thailand's largest auto parts manufacturer.

The Don Mueang–Suvarnabhumi–U-Tapao high-speed railway, officially known as the High-Speed Rail Linking Three Airports Project is the second high-speed rail line project in Thailand, being due to open in 2029 between Don Mueang International Airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport and U-Tapao International Airport. It will be operated by Asia Era One Company Limited, a special-purpose vehicles by the consortium of Charoen Pokphand Group Company, Limited (CP) and partners Ch. Karnchang PLC. (CK), Bangkok Expressway and Metro PLC. (BEM), Italian-Thai Development PLC. (ITD) and China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Bangkok gubernatorial election</span>

The eleventh election for the governorship of Bangkok was held on 22 May 2022. It took place 9 years after the latest election in 2013, long delayed due to the 2014 coup d'état.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surapong Piyachote</span>

Surapong Piyachote is a Thai politician, serving as Deputy Minister of Transport since 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "B40-50 congestion charge on inner-Bangkok streets". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  2. ↑ Thai PBS (2024-10-18). หลากมุมมอง เก็บค่าธรรมเนียมเข้าเมือง 50 บาท/คัน | ชั่วโมงข่าว เสาร์ - อาทิตย์ | 19 ต.ค. 67 . Retrieved 2024-10-20– via YouTube.
  3. ↑ "IN FOCUS: How Southeast Asian cities lack 'political will' to fix notorious traffic jams". CNA. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  4. ↑ "We're Running Out of Road". Bloomberg.com. 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  5. ↑ Ayaragarnchanakul, Eva; Creutzig, Felix (March 2022). "Bangkok's locked-in traffic jam: Price congestion or regulate parking?". Case Studies on Transport Policy. 10 (1): 365–378. doi:10.1016/j.cstp.2021.12.016.
  6. 1 2 "Bangkok Considers Asking Drivers to Pay as Traffic Roars Back". Bloomberg.com. 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  7. ↑ "Bangkok 'congestion charge' in pipeline as traffic study nears completion". nationthailand. 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  8. ↑ "เปิดมุมการเก็บค่าธรรมเนียมรถติดในเมือง ช่วยพัฒนาคุณภาพชีวิต". posttoday (in Thai). 2024-10-18. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  9. ↑ "Congestion charge for Bangkok gets governor Chadchart's nod". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  10. ↑ "Can a Bangkok congestion charge achieve the desired effects?". nationthailand. 2024-10-21. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  11. ↑ "Bangkok motorists may face congestion fee". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  12. ↑ "Study on congestion tax to take six months to a year: Suriya". nationthailand. 2024-10-22. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  13. 1 2 3 "Minister defends Bangkok congestion fee plan". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-10-25.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.