Interprovincial bus lines will reduce services from Friday and passengers will have to pay more from Monday as private operators fight soaring operating costs amid high diesel prices.
The exception is buses operated by Transport Co. The state-owned company will not change its timetable and will keep fares unchanged for three more months.
The Thai Bus Business Association on Thursday issued an update, increasing the number of bus lines that will reduce the frequency of services from Friday to 48 companies operating 227 routes, up from 44 after four more joined the move.
Their intercity routes run from Bangkok or are between individual provinces, and cover all regions of the country.
Sombat Tour Co is leading the cuts, reducing services on 32 routes, followed by Nakhonchai Air, which will slash trips on 29 routes.
"Every company would like to offer an apology for the inconvenience," the association said. It advised travellers to check the new schedules on the websites of the respective bus operators.
The association has cited the soaring price of diesel as the reason for the cuts. It said operators cannot continue to carry the losses on each trip accrued at the current fare levels.
The central land transport committee has given intercity bus firms approval to increase fares by 5 satang per kilometre, effective from Monday July 4.
Only buses run by Transport Co will continue to operate at their current frequency, and maintain current ticket prices, by order of the Transport Ministry.
Transport Co managing director Sanyalux Panwattanalikit said on Wednesday that its regular services and present fares would remain in place for three months, to help travellers cope with the rising cost of living.
Transport Co operates about 50 routes from Bangkok to cities in all regions.
