Transition of Urban Transport Policy in Bangkok, 1957–1976: Politicization of Bus Service

摘要

This article aims to reveal urban transport policy in Bangkok in the eras of “development” and “democratization” from the end of the 1950s to the mid 1970s, focusing on the politicization of bus services. A unification plan of numerous bus operators led by the Ministry of Transport surfaced at the beginning. Subsequently, Bangkok Municipality's plan, supported by the Ministry of Interior, came out. However, both suffered setbacks through public opinion and leadership fights within the government. Private operators finally pushed forward with unification independently, though this ultimately failed. When a fare hike in 1968 was withdrawn due to fierce civic resistance, a policy of reducing expenditure instead of introducing fare hikes was considered. As a result of this, a conclusion was reached that there was no method apart from expenditure reduction through unifying existing operators. This unification plan was carried over into the era of “democratization” after the collapse of the Thanom government in 1973, and it made progression within the limits of the license renewal in 1975. Eventually, the plan was settled by the installation of a state-owned company. Then, it was reorganized into the public authority; the Bangkok Mass Transport Authority. As the politicization of bus services progressed, the unification plan became a tool for materializing populist style policy. Political decisions made in regards to countermeasures during general elections and the realization of campaign pledges greatly influenced the realization of unification. Unification in the form of a public authority was finally achieved in order to realize the Khukkrit Government's populist style policy; free bus services for the poor. However, since the bus service has deteriorated, it has not functioned to the degree that politicians expected.