Bangkok: Passengers, prepare for a gradual, stepped fare increase of 5 satang per kilometer. The Department of Land Transport is regulating transportation prices and considering a tiered fare increase of 5 satang per kilometer. According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Sorapong Paitoonpong, Director-General of the Department of Land Transport, has unveiled measures to manage and address the crisis of rising fuel prices for trucks. The department is implementing a "standard price" system to control transportation costs and prevent excessive price increases that exploit high fuel prices. This system will utilize a calculation formula based on the Department of Highways' Escalation Factor (K) to establish a guideline for how transportation costs can be adjusted with a 10% increase or decrease in fuel prices. In terms of public bus services, information has been prepared for presentation to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Mr. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, seeking permission to increase fares. This adjustme nt is proposed to be tiered, with an increase of 5 satang per kilometer, equating to 5 baht for every 100 kilometers, 10 baht for 200 kilometers, and so forth, to mitigate the impact on the public while ensuring the survival of operators. Furthermore, during the Songkran festival, in collaboration with Transport Company Limited (BKS), public transport operators will freeze fares at their current level until April 19, 2026. The Road Safety Fund will be used to compensate operators for potential fare increases, marking its first usage. Initial estimates indicate a compensation of approximately 20 baht per seat, with a maximum compensation requirement of about 3 million baht per day if passenger numbers peak at 150,000 - 180,000 per day. Overall, the expenditure is expected to remain relatively small.