Congestion pricing in Bangkok

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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] In 2023, Bangkok was ranked 46th on the global congestion index. [5] The city also experiences high levels of air pollution. [5]

Contents

Early plans

In 1971, the World Bank-funded Bangkok Transportation Study proposed restriction on vehicle usage and ownership, but was not implemented. [6]

This fee was most recently proposed in 2022, following a pre-feasibility study that lasted from 2019 to 2022 in conjunction with German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit and Thai transport authorities. [7] [8] [9] The study proposed charging fees ranging from 50 to 120 baht across various city zones. [7]

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] [10] 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. [11] The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) is analyzing similar schemes in other cities. [12]

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] [13] [14]

Opposition

The People's Party, Thailand's main opposition party, opposes the government's congestion pricing plan, advocating instead for prioritizing building a comprehensive public transport network. [15] People's Party MP Surachet Praweewongwut argued that argued that the current transport system is not adequate in terms of convicing motorists to switch to transit. [15]

On 24 October 2024, People's Party MP for Bangkok Suphanat Meenchainan suggested the government should prioritize public bus networks, rather than congestion fees that would benefit private train operators. [16] He also questioned if the Ministry of Transport would be able to reform the mass transit system within the promised six months. [16] Deputy Minister of Transport Surapong Piyachote responded that the ministry is working to increase accountability, adding the fee would not benefit investors or businesses. [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

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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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suriya Juangroongruangkit</span> Thai Minister of Finance since 2023 (born 1954)

Suriya Juangroongruangkit is a Thai politician who has served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Transport since April 2024 and September 2023 respectively. He served his first term as the Deputy Prime Minister from August 2005 to September 2006 and as the Minister of Transport from October 2002 to August 2005. He previously also served as the Minister of Industry for multiple times, Deputy Minister of Industry and Member of the House of Representatives. He is a member of the Pheu Thai Party and was one of the leaders of the Palang Pracharath Party as well as the Thai Rak Thai party.

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>

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<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>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal</span> Bangkok, Thailand railway hub

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<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.

<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 From 2002 to 2018, Thanathorn was the vice president of the Thai Summit Group, Thailand's largest auto parts manufacturer.

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

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

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References

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  2. Thai PBS (2024-10-18). หลากมุมมอง เก็บค่าธรรมเนียมเข้าเมือง 50 บาท/คัน | ชั่วโมงข่าว เสาร์ - อาทิตย์ | 19 ต.ค. 67 . Retrieved 2024-10-20 via YouTube.
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  6. 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.
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  13. "Bangkok motorists may face congestion fee". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
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  15. 1 2 "People's Party opposes govt's Bangkok congestion fee plan". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  16. 1 2 3 "Minister defends Bangkok congestion fee plan". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-10-25.