BMTA labour union head Weerapong Wongwaen said that the reform plan had the input of many meetings with related agencies, but the union was not invited to participate in any of them. The plan would see the number of bus routes increase from 202 to 269 with the total distance covered hiked from 6,437 kilometres to 7,833 kilometres.

Weerapong said the labour union should have the chance to give input and suggestions about the plan’s pros and cons. The lack of union participation has many worried that the reform would be done in haste, without transparency and would benefit only certain private investors.

The bus reform plan includes works to re-organise bus routes, set up a body to regulate bus services, promote service potential among bus operators and address bus infrastructure management. The plan is reportedly aimed at helping solve traffic jams and sort out redundant and complicated bus routes, as some long-distance routes may not have sufficient bus trips to meet commuters’ demands.

Meanwhile, Department of Land Transport (DLT) chief Sanit Phromwong affirmed the new bus route concession bidding for 269 bus routes would be transparent and free from any collusion that would allow certain investors to monopolise bus services. He said the two-year period of reform implementation would start soon. In that time, the DLT would issue temporary licences for the bus operators of existing routes so they would have enough time to adjust and minimise business impacts.

Sanit said the new bus route concession bidding would be done within the two-year period in order to ensure new concessionaires are legal entities with public transport experience, and will meet standards of service quality and good vehicle performance.