During the meeting of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (BMC), Napapol Jirakul, Member of the Council for Bangkok Noi and Chairman of the Special Committee reviewing Green Line issues (partial section), presented the committee’s findings for the Council’s consideration in agenda items 2 and 3. The special committee thoroughly reviewed the draft ordinance for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) additional expenditures for the fiscal year 2026, with the Bangkok Budget Bureau and relevant agencies providing supporting clarifications.
The committee outlined the following key observations and recommendations:
1) BMA should specify a clear guideline for paying operation and maintenance (O&M) fees for the Green Line Extension 1 (Saphan Taksin–Wongwian Yai–Bang Wa and On Nut–Bearing) and Extension 2 (Bearing–Samut Prakan and Mo Chit–Saphan Mai–Khu Khot) from September 2025 to the end of fiscal year 2026 to ensure BMA can pay for O&M work. Any further payment delays could result in high-interest penalty costs.
2) Budget-receiving agencies should expedite disbursement to reduce interest burdens. The draft ordinance sets an additional budget limit for fiscal year 2026 at no more than THB 32,625,106,200, paid as a special expenditure from BMA’s reserved funds to settle O&M debts for the Green Line.
The special committee reviewed this draft ordinance in accordance with legal correctness, value for money, transparency, auditability, and maximum benefit to BMA, and recommended its approval without reservation, Napapol stated.
The BMC unanimously (48 votes) approved the draft ordinance in both agenda items 2 and 3, making it a binding Bangkok ordinance and accepting the special committee’s observations for further action by the executive branch.
Chadchart Sittipunt, Bangkok Governor, discussed the payment plan to Bangkok Mass Transit System PCL (BTSC), under BTS Group Holdings PCL (SET: BTS), for Green Line extension O&M. Chadchart confirmed readiness to pay, as required by the Central Administrative Court’s second ruling. BMA is scheduled to clear its entire THB 32 billion debt to BTSC on or before October 31.
The funds will come from BMA’s non-committed reserves. Although the payout will decrease these reserves, a balance of approximately THB 5–6 billion will remain, ensuring no impact on BMA operations.
Chadchart explained that the repayment is imperative since the contract is legally binding, despite previous disputes. The priority is to avoid further high-interest charges, calculated at MLR + 1, which currently results in millions of baht in daily interest—much higher than bank deposit rates.
Regarding fare structure, the debt repayment is not directly tied to fare adjustments. The main issue is BMA’s ongoing burden of about THB 8 billion annually for extension O&M, while revenue from these sections is just over THB 2 billion, leaving a THB 6 billion deficit funded by the city budget.
To reflect actual costs and fairness for non-users, BMA plans to recalibrate fares using a general formula—THB 17 plus THB 3 for each station passed, with a maximum capped at THB 65. Some short-haul passengers could see lower fares, while long-distance travelers may pay more. All pricing and debt decisions fall under BMA’s authority, with no need for Cabinet approval.
Surapong Laoha-Unya, Director of BTS and CEO of BTSC, told “Kaohoon” that BTSC acknowledges BMC’s decision to approve the additional budget of THB 32 billion to clear all O&M debts, scheduled for payment by October 31, 2025.
Previously, BTSC and Krungthep Thanakom Company Limited (KT) agreed that BTSC would provide full debt information from the second lawsuit up to August 2025, totaling THB 32 billion. Upon payment, no further BMA-BTSC mutual debt will remain. BTS plans to use proceeds to fund company operations and repay bank debt, thereby improving liquidity and reducing the debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio.
KT also notified that starting with September 2025, BMA will consistently pay O&M fees for both extensions on schedule. For September 2025, BTSC will invoice BMA on October 20, for a total of about THB 800 million.
