Three major expressways will be free to use on public holidays until 2035

[webfact]

Three major expressways will be free to use on public holidays until 2035

 

Picture: Sanook

 

It has been announced that three expressways in the Bangkok area will be free to use on all public holidays for the next 15 years. 

 

In addition an agreement has been reached so that expressway fees on the roads cannot be increased for eight years. 

 

The roads in question are the Chalerm Mahanakhon expressway, Srirat expressway and Udon Ratthaya expressway (Pak Kret to Bang Pa-in).

 

Nineteen toll booths will be shut on the holidays on the Chalerm Mahanakhon road, 31 on Srirat and 10 on Udon Ratthaya. 

 

The news is as a result of concession agreements ironed out between the government and the franchisees. 

 

All public holidays and replacement days will be part of the freebies. 

 

And there will be no price increases for 8 years either, reported Sanook. 

 

Agreements end in 2035 when contracts will likely be reassessed. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-06-23

 

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[drbeach]

Sounds good in principle, but how can they be so sure this plan will be in effect for 15 years? That's like Hun Sen claiming his party will remain in power for the next 100 years. I thought the transport minister was considering upgrading toll booths from the 20th century manual toll collection to 21st century free flowing toll collection?

 

With free flow lanes, traffic doesn't need to slow down. You don't need to stop toll collection during holidays, as it's all done electronically.

 

OK - maybe I shouldn't be giving them any ideas. Any fee waivers for whatever reason is always a good thing, but my point is, I can't help but think that with this plan, they're basically admitting, in 2035 Thailand will still be stuck in the 1980s, like it is now. Therefore, Thailand 0.4, not 4.0.

[Bender Rodriguez]

hope they create BTS / MRT all over...  being stuck in traffic suxxxx

[drbeach]

52 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

hope they create BTS / MRT all over...  being stuck in traffic suxxxx

Although the BTS won't bring you to Khon Kaen or Chiang Rai, will it?

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

It has been announced that three expressways in the Bangkok area will be free to use on all public holidays for the next 15 years.

So every public holidays we will know where to find all the traffic jams !

[chilli42]

Is this what passes for populism in Thailand?  Also intrigued by “free”. Unless these expressways have been fully paid for it’s not free, someone always pays.