So long rabbits and carrots. It's spider time. The new common ticket card is called Mangmoom, and its spider-like design comes courtesy of Wanticha Aneksitthisin, a graduate from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi who won a nationwide competition last October under the concept of “One for All better.”
For the very first phase, the card will be available for use on the BTS Skytrain, MRT underground and Airport Link. The magic date is set for Aug 2016, about the same time as the launch of the new MRT purple line (Khlong Bang Phai-Tao Poon), but the system is said to be complete as early as the end of February for pilot runs.
Word has been flying around that users will be able to register for a new Mangmoom card for free. It that doesn’t pull through, we're hearing it will cost no more than B50. Just like the Rabbit card right now, users will be able top-up as well as buy trips. The main difference is people will be able to choose to add trips for individual transport types, or all transport types. There’s also going to be more types of tickets: for students, professionals, senior citizens, veterans, those with disabilities, as well as those who earn below a certain level of income.
The rail link networks will be linked to other types of public transportation in the future. For water transport, there are plans to test out the system at pilot piers like Phra Nangklao and Sathorn. There are also plans to extend the network to cover the Easy Pass. Meanwhile, the bus network will be the last one to join due to complications with fare collections.
At the moment, you can get some discounts using the Rabbit card, but we've been told the Mangmoom card will be available for use at even more convenience stores, restaurants and cinemas. It will be interesting to see how big a difference this make—-but that’s only likely to happen in the distant future.
In the meantime, the struggle to take the BTS continues.
