THE Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) labour union said today (Nov. 12) it opposes police using the state firm’s buses to block roads and stop protesters as happened when People’s Party demonstrators faced a bus barricade as they marched towards Government House last month, INN News and Sanook.com reported.
Mr. Boonma Pongma, head of this labour Union, said putting BMTA’s buses to this use leads to public misunderstanding that the state enterprise is siding with a political faction and not staying neutral, and this damages its image.
However police have said that the demonstrators are responsible for the damage to the buses with the force together with BMTA to together sue them to cover repair costs. They added that BMTA’s labour union does not have the authority to prohibit the use of the buses in such operations.
Boonma countered that it is the duty of the labour union to protect the rights and interests of BMTA with this being directly mandated under Section 40 (4) of State Enterprise Labour Relations Act, B.E. 2543.
The union strongly disagrees with suing demonstrators because buses have been purchased with public tax revenue.
Boonma threatened that if police continue using buses to block protesters the union will take the matter to the court.
CAPTION:
Top: A BMTA bus. Thai headline says, “public tax.” Photo: Sanook.com
