Good point Disabuse, it never struck me. Different strokes, I guess – some would be willing to wait in line for 20 minutes to avoid paying an extra 20b. I guess I’m lucky in that I’m able to pay for the convenience of avoiding it.

Fee + deposit on the BTS card is 100 baht (just for the convenience of swiping, no discount fares offered). Not a small amount given that half the Thais make the minimum wage of 300 baht per day. In the U.S. the equivalent would be about $20, so no wonder they’re buying single-use tickets.

Those cards are easy to lose as well (and then you lose the 100 baht + the balance, may well cost a 7-11 worker a whole day of wages). Plus, you need a separate one for MRT…

Leaving aside the problems caused by the recent extension, I've always considered the BTS one of the best mass transit systems of any major city. Compared to the New York, London and Tokyo subways (especially Tokyo) the BTS is relatively uncrowded (again, I'm talking about the BTS pre-extension), easy to navigate and used by some of the most polite commuters I've ever had the good fortune to encounter. One can only hope that longer trains with greater frequency are introduced to alleviate the problem.

At the end of the day you just have to thank God you don't live up here in Chiang Mai, where I have to get around by bicycle. It's inhuman

Quite honestly, I am both excited and annoyed at the same time that the BTS and BKK's mass transit is getting crowded. Annoyed obviously because it won't be such a breeze to get around the city. Instead of dealing with traffic jams of cars, it's people this time around.

I am excited because that means the more people use it (hopefully) the more demand it spurs for the more timely construction of planned transit lines. Of course this could just be wishful thinking…

Since it would be very difficult to expand the stations, I think the solution here is simply longer cars and higher frequencies. I hear there is room for 6 cars at the BTS stations. If they had 6 cars and intervals of 2-3 minutes during rush hour, that should help alleviate the problem a bit. Or they could just pack themselves like sardines like they do in Japan during rush hour.

And yeah, I get annoyed having to line up to get change, to get a ticket and then finally get in the Station. I don't know if BKK has a smart card like Tokyo does but I know that it is a breeze to travel around Tokyo because the systems are integrated and the ticket machines don't require only change.

I have to admit, I chuckled a bit about the people living in On Nut station being angry at the fact the cars were full by the time it reached them. Living on a terminal station always guarantees you a seat. I live on one of the busiest lines in Tokyo (Tozai Line) and I can NEVER get a seat on that thing in the morning. In fact, I am lucky if I get into a comfortable position standing up.

I wonder how the Bangkok Metro is holding up. Although I use the BTS more because it goes where I want it to go (Siam), I have to admit I prefer the Bangkok Metro ride. It is much more comfortable for me.