On a seemingly ordinary Tuesday, passengers expecting a ride on Bangkok’s freshly extended Pink Line were met with a sobering surprise: a hefty drop in their numbers, down an astonishing 68%. Why, you ask? It all started when the train whistles blew an end to its fare-free maiden voyage, leading commuters to an inevitable fork in the railway tracks where they faced the once-distant specter of an opened wallet. Gone were the days of delight aboard the airy trains coursing gleefully to Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi. As soon as the ticket barriers clenched with that monetary click, the daily riders nosedived from a buoyant count of 7,772 to a modest 2,168. The Department of Rail Transport penned it as a “ridership dropped by 68% on the first day of paid service” moment. The enchantment of free rides unsurprisingly drew throngs to the Pink Line, with events like the THAIFEX-ANUGA…
