Topic 19

Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways, or should governments spend more money on improving public transportation (bus, trains and subways)? Why?

As everyone know that Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand and also my hometown, is one of the worst traffic conditions in the world. From the past 20 years, Royal Thai governments can not solve the traffic condition which is the major problem. If I have a budget to improve transportation systems, I, the one who have seen the worst traffic jam since I was born, would not hesitate to spend money on public transportation with several reasons.

First, improving roads and highway can benefit mostly for only people who have money to buy their own cars. However, as everyone knows that most people in the world especially in Thailand is in a low society which will never have a chance to own vehicles, they will not benefit from improving roads and highways at all. As a result, why do I have to spend money on improving roads and highways?

Moreover, improving on public transportation especially subways or sky trains not only can save a lot of time in a rush hour, but they will also save the energy which is very expensive in the current situation. In Bangkok, if you travel by your own car, you have to spend at least 2 hours to reach the destination. On the other hand, you can spend only 10 minutes to go to the same destination. Furthermore, generally, going by public transportations cost less than going by private cars. Therefore, people can save more money which will let them have a better life condition.

Last but not least, if governments invest on public transportations and also encourage their people to use them, not only the governments will have much more earning from transportation fees, but the traffic condition in the city facing this kind of problems will also release from the tension in traffic problems.

All in all, there are a large number of benefits for spending the budget on improving public transportation. Not only people will be convenient from spending less money and save their time, governments can also earn more money for improving country in other fields. In addition, public transportations are benefit for everyone in the city, as a result, why do I have to spend money on improving roads and highways which can benefit only for the rich which is only a small group of people? How about the poor?

Thanks for all your help.