Green Line debt

One of the longest-running disputes in Bangkok’s mass-transit history moved closer to resolution this year after the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) agreed to settle more than 36 billion baht in unpaid operating costs owed to Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC) for running the Green Line extensions.

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The debt stems from the operation of two major extensions of the BTS Skytrain system — the first from On Nut to Bearing and Saphan Taksin to Bang Wa, and the second from Bearing to Samut Prakan and Mo Chit to Saphan Mai and Khu Khot.

Although services on the extensions were gradually opened between 2017 and 2020 to support Bangkok's rapid expansion, City Hall failed to fully compensate BTSC for operations, paying only partial amounts before halting payments in 2019.

The stoppage followed Order No.3/2019 issued by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), which sought to restructure concession arrangements for the Green Line.