BKS has finalized plans to begin disbursing compensation totaling 60 million baht to 75 partner bus operators for the impact of fuel prices, starting 6 July. It also clarified the fine criteria and is preparing to gather cost data for fare adjustment proposals.
Mr. Attawit Rakjamroon, President of the Transport Company Limited (BKS), revealed after meeting with partner bus operators regarding complaints about delayed compensation payments from the fare price freeze during the 2026 Songkran festival that BKS has acknowledged their concerns and provided explanations on the operational approach as follows.
Regarding the request to expedite compensation for fuel price impacts to operators who have not yet received aid, the policy was to freeze fares at previous levels from 6 to 19 April 2026 to ease public hardship during Songkran. The Department of Land Transport will use the Road Safety Fund to compensate the difference. BKS summarized requests from 75 partner operators totaling about 60 million baht and will start phased payments from 6 July 2026 onward. Delays arose because operators’ submitted documents were incomplete or incorrect, requiring thorough verification to meet Road Safety Fund conditions.
In addition to the compensation, Mr. Attawit added that BKS had already implemented four support measures to mitigate the fuel price crisis impact, totaling over 12 million baht:
1. Collecting vehicle dispatch fees based on actual trips made (1–30 April 2026).
2. Charging supplementary vehicle fees at the same rate as regular trips (6–19 April 2026).
3. Reducing vehicle dispatch fees by 35 percent.
4. Lowering large bus terminal entry fees from 50 baht to 30 baht (9–19 April 2026).
Regarding operators’ requests to reduce the maximum 50,000 baht fine for violations, BKS explained that such fines apply only to serious safety-related offenses against passengers, such as overcharging beyond legal limits, overloading, or abandoning passengers mid-route. These regulations are enforced to prevent repeat offenses. For less serious violations not involving passengers, like improper staff attire, fines range from about 200 to 500 baht. BKS is open to reviewing fine rates to ensure fairness and appropriateness.
Partner operators have requested fare increases aligned with actual operating costs. As the regulator, BKS has asked operators to provide updated cost data and will act as an intermediary to compile this information for the Land Transport Control Board's consideration to ensure fair fares for both operators and passengers.
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