Major initiative to integrate ticketing in Bangkok-

Fares on Bangkok’s public transport are collected under the integrated electronic fare collection system using the contactless smart card, Rabbit. The Rabbit smart card can be used only on the SkyTrain, mass rapid transit (MRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT), and for retail purchases. The Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) has deployed an automated fare collection (AFC) system that includes magnetic tickets including single-journey tickets and one-day passes, BTS SmartPass including stored-value card (BTS Sky SmartPass) and 30-day passes (Adult SmartPass and Student SmartPass) and the Rabbit card, which includes adult, student and senior cards.

However, Bangkok buses use paper tickets for fare collection and single-trip tokens, while prepaid smart passes are used on the Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link (SARL).

Recently, in March 2015, Thailand’s Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning under the Ministry of Transport announced plans to set up a national committee and a public­private joint venture (JV) to establish an efficient, regulated, integrated ticketing system for public transport in Bangkok. The new system is expected to be launched in August 2016.

The committee will be responsible for supervising the integrated ticketing system. It will be chaired by the transport minister and consist of officials from the transport ministry, the National Economic and Social Development Board, the Bureau of the Budget, the State Enterprise Policy Office, the Public Debt Management Office, the Office of the Consumer Protection Board, the Bank of Thailand, and business operators.

The JV will take care of practical aspects such as handling the clearing house. It will comprise government agencies (with up to 50 per cent stake) and foreign private firms with expertise in maintaining and operating electric trains. The JV is expected to be formed by early 2016. In March 2015, it was announced that the BSV Group is developing the clearing house. The group comprises Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc, Smart Traffic Company and Vix Mobility Company.

Existing fare collection system

Rabbit was deployed in June 2012 by Bangkok Smartcard System [BSS] Company Limited, a JV of BTS and Bangkok Metro Company Limited (BMCL). As of April 2015, there were 3.5 million Rabbit cardholders. This number is expected to increase by 33 per cent to 4 million in 2016.

The card is issued by Carrot Rewards Company Limited (formerly known as Bangkok SmartCard Technology Limited), a wholly owned subsidiary of the BTS Group. Its

loyalty programme, Carrot Rewards, allows users to earn points with top-up and retail purchases. The points can subsequently be exchanged for gift certificates from Rabbit partners.

Bangkok Bank and BSS have launched the Be1st Smart Rabbit Debit Card and the Bangkok Bank Rabbit Credit Card. In addition to the Rabbit card, single-journey tokens (Sony Felica) are used on the MRT system.

In December 2012, BSS signed a near-field communication (NFC) contract with Advanced Info Service Plc (AIS) to enable passengers to use NFC-enabled mobile phones as a common device for MRT fare payment and retail purchases.

Implementation and funding of the new system

The new ticketing system will be integrated across the services provided by the BTS, MRT, BRT, airport rail link, expressway and motorway networks, public bus and passenger boat services. The system will be launched on BTA trains and expressways initially and later expanded to Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) city buses, the Chao Phraya express boat service, MRT, SARL and the motorway to Chon Buri.

The transport ministry will seek a budget of $10 million for the development of the system and $13 million for the development of a central clearing house. The OTTPP will fund operations for the first four years and then a government subsidy will take over. The development of the clearing house and preparation of the design of the tickets for the new system are expected by July 2015.

Conclusion

The installation of the new system is expected to be completed between August 2015 and February 2016. Test runs of the new system are expected to begin in March 2016 and be completed by August 2016. The installation of the new system is essential to make interchange between different modes of transport in the city convenient for citizens.