BANGKOK: -- The Transport Ministry has approved an increase in taxi meter rates planned to go into effect on April 16.
Phum Palang Taxi Cooperative manager, Kasemsan Chompoodaeng, said the Land Transport Department under the Transport Ministry approved the meter rate increase. However, he said the ministry has not yet concluded what form the price increase will take.
The Land Transport Department will discuss with the Energy Ministry, the PTT and taxi operators. All details will be finalized by April 16, which is the date that the new fares will begin.
As of now, four forms of fare hikes have been proposed. Firstly, the startling price of a cab will be maintained at 35 baht, while meter rates per mile will increase. Conversely, an alternative proposal is to increase the starting price to 40, 45 or 50 baht.
Kasemsan stated that taxi operators have been minimally affected by the energy price hike since the PTT has shouldered most of the burden on the Natural Gas for Vehicles, or NGV, at two baht a liter from January 16 through April 16.
After that, the taxi operators will be facing a gas price hike, so they will be forced to raise taxi fares. Moreover, the Transport Ministry will improve the standard of taxi services.
As of now, there are around 100,000 cabs, and only 80,000 of them has registered with the Ministry. The Ministry will set a limit on the number of cabs so that taxis do not outnumber passengers.
-- Tan Network 2012-03-12
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