BMTA unionists urge Govt to lease purchase 4,000 buses instead of leasing

Sanan Boonngok, chairman of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority Labour Union, Monday urged the government to lease purchase 4,000 NGV-fuelled buses instead of just leasing them.

Sanan also urged the government to turn down the installation of e-ticket system for the 4,000 buses at once, saying it would cause some 10,000 bus conductors to be laid off.

He said if the Cabinet does not approve the leasing or lease-purchasing of 4,000 buses, the government should provide 1,000 buses to the BMTA as its 500 buses are now under maintenance, causing the BMTA to lose about Bt3 million in daily revenue.