UDD Party Opposes 20 Baht Sky Train Fare
Here’s a breakdown of the key information from the provided text, focusing on the UDD Party’s stance on the 20 baht public transport fare policy:
Main Points:
opposition to the 20 Baht Fare: The UDD (United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship) Party opposes the proposed 20 baht flat fare for all public transport lines.
Concern over Financial Discipline: Their primary concern is that the policy could violate financial discipline and negatively impact the country’s financial stability. They fear it’s not financially lasting.
Support for Integrated Ticketing & Subsidies: The UDD Party does support integrated ticketing systems (joint tickets) and fare subsidies. They believe these are good ideas.
Issue with MRTA‘s Money Management: Their disagreement centers on how the money for the system would be managed, specifically criticizing the MRTA (Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand). They believe the MRTA’s approach is problematic.
Government Delay Blamed: The UDD Party accuses the government of delaying the implementation of integrated ticketing due to poor planning.They claim the government didn’t start seriously considering funding sources until well after the commission was formed (April vs. May). Negative consequences: The delay, according to the UDD, has led to the cancellation of charter and monthly tickets, negatively impacting commuters.
* Government Responsibility: The UDD Party places the responsibility for the delays and resulting damage squarely on the government.
In essence, the UDD Party isn’t against affordable public transport, but they are critical of the proposed 20 baht flat fare and the government’s handling of the financial and logistical aspects of the plan.
Image Description:
The image shows a photograph with the caption: “The UDD Party opposition 20 baht throughout the line, dreaded, violated financial discipline.” The photographer is credited as “PPTV.”