The government is reducing citizens' travel expenses by launching the use of the “State Welfare Card” on Thai Smile Bus services, starting on 23 routes with the goal of expanding to 124 routes within 15 days. Passenger numbers are expected to increase by 250,000 daily.
On 29 May 2026, Ms. Lalida Pertwivatana, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, announced that under Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul's leadership, the government is continuously improving citizens' quality of life and reducing travel costs. The Ministry of Transport, together with Thai Smile Bus Company Limited, has enabled State Welfare Card holders to use Thai Smile Bus services starting from 28 May 2026.
Ms. Lalida stated that the initial phase includes 23 routes covering key routes in Bangkok and its metropolitan area, with plans to gradually expand to all 124 routes by 15 June 2026. This aims to provide greater convenience and access to public transportation for the public.
Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, said that allowing the use of the State Welfare Card on Thai Smile Buses is a collaboration between the public and private sectors to tangibly improve citizens' quality of life. The government aims to reduce travel expenses through the “Thai Help Thai Plus” project.
“Citizens can use their ID cards or State Welfare Cards to tap on the EDC machines on the buses immediately, eliminating the need for cash and enabling easier connections to other public transport systems,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Siripong Angkasukolkit, Deputy Minister of Transport, explained that previously, State Welfare Card holders could not use their benefits on Thai Smile Bus due to the need for system upgrades. Currently, there are about 14 million cardholders nationwide, with approximately 500,000 in Bangkok, who can now fully use their travel benefits on public transport systems.
The Ministry of Transport is also considering adjusting bus routes to better connect with electric train systems, serving as feeders to improve overall public transportation efficiency.
The initial 23 routes allowing card use include Rangsit–Victory Monument, Talat Thai–Victory Monument, Samut Prakan–Ekkamai, Thailand Cultural Centre–Sanam Chai, Om Yai–Tha Ratchaworadit, and routes connecting to Suvarnabhumi Airport, among others.
Thai Smile Bus stated that the company has invested over 100 million baht to install all necessary systems, including EDC devices, card readers, and backend infrastructure, supporting over 2,000 buses and more than 3,000 card readers, as some routes operate 24 hours.
Currently, Thai Smile Bus serves about 300,000 passengers daily. After enabling State Welfare Card use, passenger numbers are expected to increase by approximately 250,000 per day, mainly from cardholders who previously had limited access to public transport.
Ms. Lalida emphasized that the government prioritizes reducing living costs in all aspects, especially travel expenses, which are a significant daily cost. The government will continue developing public transportation systems to be more accessible, convenient, safe, and efficiently connected to sustainably improve citizens' quality of life.