Thai Expressways To Have Auto E-tolls

[george]

Thai expressways to have auto e-tolls

Automatic toll-collecting system ready next year

BANGKOK: -- In November, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) will implement an automatic toll-collecting system using "Easy Pass" electronic cards, EXAT governor Lt-Colonel Thavisin Rakkatanyu said yesterday.

EXAT is negotiating with financial institutes to sell the cards online, besides by vendor machines or at tollgates, Thavisin says.

The system, namely the Electronic Toll Collection System (ETCS), would greatly reduce the traffic congestion problem because motorists, by placing the cards on their windshields, can pass through the tollgates without stopping or waiting in a long queue or spending time getting out cash to pay for toll fees.

The ETCS is being installed at expressway tollbooths and should be ready for service this year at the Chalerm Mahanakhon, Chalongrat, Ram Intra-Bangkok Outer Ring and Bang Plee-Suksawat expressways. For the Phra Ram-Wat Salut Expressway, which witnesses severe traffic jams around tollgates, EXAT would consider building more conventional gates besides installing automatic ones for the new system there, he adds.

Bangkok Expressway has already installed the system at Srirat Expressway and it should be ready for service next year, Thavisin says.

The details of the Srirat-Bangkok Outer Ring Expressway Project, which aims to extend expressway services to western Bangkok, have been approved by EXAT's board and will soon be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration.

The Cabinet had on May 6 approved the project as part of the economic rehabilitation plan's Phase 2 to be implemented next year.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

[givenall]

Thai expressways to have auto e-tolls

Automatic toll-collecting system ready next year

BANGKOK: -- In November, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) will implement an automatic toll-collecting system using "Easy Pass" electronic cards, EXAT governor Lt-Colonel Thavisin Rakkatanyu said yesterday.

EXAT is negotiating with financial institutes to sell the cards online, besides by vendor machines or at tollgates, Thavisin says.

The system, namely the Electronic Toll Collection System (ETCS), would greatly reduce the traffic congestion problem because motorists, by placing the cards on their windshields, can pass through the tollgates without stopping or waiting in a long queue or spending time getting out cash to pay for toll fees.

The ETCS is being installed at expressway tollbooths and should be ready for service this year at the Chalerm Mahanakhon, Chalongrat, Ram Intra-Bangkok Outer Ring and Bang Plee-Suksawat expressways. For the Phra Ram-Wat Salut Expressway, which witnesses severe traffic jams around tollgates, EXAT would consider building more conventional gates besides installing automatic ones for the new system there, he adds.

Bangkok Expressway has already installed the system at Srirat Expressway and it should be ready for service next year, Thavisin says.

The details of the Srirat-Bangkok Outer Ring Expressway Project, which aims to extend expressway services to western Bangkok, have been approved by EXAT's board and will soon be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration.

The Cabinet had on May 6 approved the project as part of the economic rehabilitation plan's Phase 2 to be implemented next year.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

I hope (which I doubt ) they will have some discount for paying in advance since reduces the cost also have the money in advance in the bank accrue interest

[MichaelBKK]

Thai expressways to have auto e-tolls

Automatic toll-collecting system ready next year

BANGKOK: -- In November, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) will implement an automatic toll-collecting system using "Easy Pass" electronic cards, EXAT governor Lt-Colonel Thavisin Rakkatanyu said yesterday.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

I hope (which I doubt ) they will have some discount for paying in advance since reduces the cost also have the money in advance in the bank accrue interest

This is not the first time they've tried this. They first installed such a system back in the early 90's. It's still in use, but failed to catch hold precisely because there was no place other than tollway offices to top up the cards, and there was no discount for pre-paying tolls. The problem in both cases was revenue sharing, because part of the expressway system is operated by a private company.

It's the same problem, essentially, as the Skytrain & Subway - the two parties can't agree on who gets to hold the money.

[Insight]

Ace. All what we need now is the cops to implement an eBribe system then we can fly straight through!

[whiteboy]

Let's make Bkk the Asian HUB for traffic efficiency by launching this E-bribe concept.

Now that would make world-wide headlines

[soloman]

Thai mafia and Thai Taxi drivers are holding meetings to brainstorm how they can use etoll to their advantage

[jcgodber]

I just got back form a driving trip to Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. The Malay expressway uses what they call "TOUCH and GO" cards That can be bought at a 7-11 or where ever and topped up just as you would your cell phone. The system works very well. You stop and " Touch and GO" I did not see it but I know that they have a transponder or whatever you can use instead of the card and then not even have to stop. This would solve many problems here.

[mrtoad]

I just got back form a driving trip to Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. The Malay expressway uses what they call "TOUCH and GO" cards That can be bought at a 7-11 or where ever and topped up just as you would your cell phone. The system works very well. You stop and " Touch and GO" I did not see it but I know that they have a transponder or whatever you can use instead of the card and then not even have to stop. This would solve many problems here.

To be honest" touch and go" is pretty dated when you think about it. ERP systems such as they have in operation in Singapore, and the TAG that they have in some places in the UK mean you don't even need to stop. The Singapore system IMO is certainly the most impressive in the region. Could be a great gravy train for a number of vendors here if they implement something like that fully .

[andyc2006]

Ace. All what we need now is the cops to implement an eBribe system then we can fly straight through!

That was my first thought.

What's the point of driving right past the toll booth if the thief (oops, police officer) is still waiting just beyond it to extract his 200 baht?

[alant]

sounds like the perfect time to allow big bikes on the highways

[ralfbkk]

This is not the first time they've tried this. They first installed such a system back in the early 90's. It's still in use, but failed to catch hold precisely because there was no place other than tollway offices to top up the cards

You can top up in any Tollway Booth providing the Tollpass Option. Problem is, there are not to many around, except Din Daeng to Bang Na vv.

[puyaidon]

Watch out. Putting in the system makes it more valuable. Increased VAT for one.

I really can't see how a piece of concrete costs more after ten years of service (value-added) but someone thinks so. E-system just means more money to slip into someone's pocket somehow.

[dale8]

Hello, this should help with the traffic jams.

[spongeman]

They have number plate recognition here, and its a farce. Bills being sent out to drivers who have never been through the tolls, in the thousand's every week.

Some problem with reading digits.

[smurf384]

They have an Etag system in Melbourne and the accountants from different tollways are able to journal money, as only accountants can. It has had its problems, but for the most part you can drive past the Toll point at 100 kmh and your account is debited.

What about the tollway attendants, they get a Don't Come Monday letter

[thaihome]

This is not the first time they've tried this. They first installed such a system back in the early 90's. It's still in use, but failed to catch hold precisely because there was no place other than tollway offices to top up the cards

You can top up in any Tollway Booth providing the Tollpass Option. Problem is, there are not to many around, except Din Daeng to Bang Na vv.

That system was discontinued 2 months ago and the tags no longer work. Worked very well, but was only for the one expressway.

TH

[selftaopath]

This is not the first time they've tried this. They first installed such a system back in the early 90's. It's still in use, but failed to catch hold precisely because there was no place other than tollway offices to top up the cards, and there was no discount for pre-paying tolls. The problem in both cases was revenue sharing, because part of the expressway system is operated by a private company.

It's the same problem, essentially, as the Skytrain & Subway - the two parties can't agree on who gets to hold the money.

I purchased a used car from a colleague who was leaving Thailand. On the windshield was placed a ? disk that allowed entrance to the highway electonically b/c of payments made in advance. On a trip a few months ago my wife was told that "system" was discontinued. And of course no mention how to receive the money that was pre-paid on the card. LOL ah Amazing Thailand eh?

Maybe this is another attempt to get some Baht. Re-start the "system", require everyone to buy said card and then abruptly stop the system and keep the baht. ??????? Trickie thinking perhaps??? But nnnnaaaaaaaaaa never happen here in LOS (Lack of Sanctions)

[andyc2006]

They have number plate recognition here, and its a farce. Bills being sent out to drivers who have never been through the tolls, in the thousand's every week.

My experience with the plate recognition in California (FasTrak) was good.

Occasionally the RFID transponder wouldn't take when I drove through a toll, but they instruct you to just keep driving, despite the red light.

When this happens, they grab your plate ID automatically.

If you're a registered FasTrak user, they just debit your account, which you can check online. This worked correctly for me the 3 times my RFID transponder didn't go off in that car. Also, my account was never falsely debited.

Another time, I was using my 2nd car, which isn't registered with FasTrak. Though I did have my RFID transponder with me, it didn't take when I passed the toll.

I received a letter a few days later saying I had passed through the toll and wasn't a registered FasTrak user. It gave me a number of ways to resolve the issue (pay a fine, show that I was a FasTrak user, or become a FasTrak user to avoid the fine and only pay the toll). The least bureaucratic was actually to just order a 2nd RFID transponder for my other car, so I took that route.

In my opinion, the whole toll-on-a-roadway thing is ridiculous -- just put in a (higher) gas tax (for whatever reason they're claiming the toll tax is necessary) instead of wasting peoples' time when they're driving, and causing traffic bottlenecks that just increase the amount of pollution -- but it is possible to use technology to decrease the unnecessary problems created by road tolls.

[thaihome]

I purchased a used car from a colleague who was leaving Thailand. On the windshield was placed a ? disk that allowed entrance to the highway electonically b/c of payments made in advance. On a trip a few months ago my wife was told that "system" was discontinued. And of course no mention how to receive the money that was pre-paid on the card. LOL ah Amazing Thailand eh?

Maybe this is another attempt to get some Baht. Re-start the "system", require everyone to buy said card and then abruptly stop the system and keep the baht. ??????? Trickie thinking perhaps??? But nnnnaaaaaaaaaa never happen here in LOS (Lack of Sanctions)

They posted notices on the toll booths for over a month before the tags were discontinued. There indeed was no refund for unused amounts and they made that clear. Why would you have a tag that only worked on single expressway if you didn't use it reguarly.

You are really streching it, don't you think?

TH

[thaihome]

In my opinion, the whole toll-on-a-roadway thing is ridiculous -- just put in a (higher) gas tax (for whatever reason they're claiming the toll tax is necessary) instead of wasting peoples' time when they're driving, and causing traffic bottlenecks that just increase the amount of pollution -- but it is possible to use technology to decrease the unnecessary problems created by road tolls.

Tollways are generally owned private companies (they are in Thailand), tax is collected by governments. How would you suggest the companies get the tax money? Based on what? Besides, why should people who don’t use the tollways have to pay for them?

Didn't think this one through real well did you?

TH

[andyc2006]

In my opinion, the whole toll-on-a-roadway thing is ridiculous -- just put in a (higher) gas tax (for whatever reason they're claiming the toll tax is necessary) instead of wasting peoples' time when they're driving, and causing traffic bottlenecks that just increase the amount of pollution -- but it is possible to use technology to decrease the unnecessary problems created by road tolls.

Tollways are generally owned private companies (they are in Thailand), tax is collected by governments. How would you suggest the companies get the tax money? Based on what? Besides, why should people who don’t use the tollways have to pay for them?

Didn't think this one through real well did you?

TH

My comment isn't specific to Thailand. Where I'm from, tollways are not owned by private companies, they're public, and they're built and maintained with tax dollars. The toll is just an additional form of tax.

I thought it through for the tollways that I know. I'm not accustomed to private companies owning/leasing long tracts of land and building public right-of-ways on them for profit -- the concept is literally "foreign" to me. In fact, it's difficult for me to believe that at 45 baht/car that a Thai tollway would ever be profitable once original construction and maintenance are factored in... there must be some other income to keep them profitable.

As far as people paying for the tollways they use -- yes, people should pay for ALL the roads that they use. And the most efficient way to do that is to tax their fuel.

[Dork]

Thai expressways to have auto e-tolls

Automatic toll-collecting system ready next year

BANGKOK: -- In November, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) will implement an automatic toll-collecting system using "Easy Pass" electronic cards, EXAT governor Lt-Colonel Thavisin Rakkatanyu said yesterday.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

I hope (which I doubt ) they will have some discount for paying in advance since reduces the cost also have the money in advance in the bank accrue interest

This is not the first time they've tried this. They first installed such a system back in the early 90's. It's still in use, but failed to catch hold precisely because there was no place other than tollway offices to top up the cards, and there was no discount for pre-paying tolls. The problem in both cases was revenue sharing, because part of the expressway system is operated by a private company.

It's the same problem, essentially, as the Skytrain & Subway - the two parties can't agree on who gets to hold the money.

Not true on both counts. The electronic tag sytem which was discontinued a few months ago could be topped up at any manned tollbooth that accepted the tag. For every thousand Baht of credit purchased THB50 was refunded in cash together with the receipt, a 5% discount. This is still the case with prepaid vouchers

[misterpolite]

Hi guys. I am new to this forum. I read this article with interest, because I work in this industry. Currently I work in San Diego, CA, for a company which is going broke, they own the new SR125 toll road. 3 years ago, I was working at the Golden Gate Bridge, doing the same thing. At that time, 2 guys from bkk came for a tour of the bridge, which I gave to them. My employer was bidding on a big project in bkk to modernize the expressway there. We did not get the contract. My question is this: Does anybody know what company installed this new ETCS system on the Bkk expressway? I want to work in Bkk!!

any info would be appreciated. thanks in advance.

[rolschu]

I purchased a used car from a colleague who was leaving Thailand. On the windshield was placed a ? disk that allowed entrance to the highway electonically b/c of payments made in advance. On a trip a few months ago my wife was told that "system" was discontinued. And of course no mention how to receive the money that was pre-paid on the card. LOL ah Amazing Thailand eh?

Maybe this is another attempt to get some Baht. Re-start the "system", require everyone to buy said card and then abruptly stop the system and keep the baht. ??????? Trickie thinking perhaps??? But nnnnaaaaaaaaaa never happen here in LOS (Lack of Sanctions)

They posted notices on the toll booths for over a month before the tags were discontinued. There indeed was no refund for unused amounts and they made that clear. Why would you have a tag that only worked on single expressway if you didn't use it reguarly.

You are really streching it, don't you think?

TH

Sorry, this is not correct. We had several TAG cards within our company and all the stored money and the deposit was handed out by the EXAT

[bkkjames]

As with every it seems here, you will pay extra for the convenience. But be very very wary of technology such as this. You know that when you flash your tag (or similar) at the first booth and do it again at another before exiting the toll-way, they can use this data to time you and work out if you have been speeding or not.

It's been a long day.

[madjbs]

As far as people paying for the tollways they use -- yes, people should pay for ALL the roads that they use. And the most efficient way to do that is to tax their fuel.

Absolutely ridiculous statements that you are making.

Have you ever heard of "Road Tax"?

Also, many people don't use the expressways to save money, and anyhow, the majority of the population don't even live in Bangkok. Why should they have to pay for it? Your idea of putting the tax on fuel (not even road tax.....), is absolutely ridiculous.

Edited October 5, 2009 by madjbs

[TopDogger]

Any update on this? They have banners sprawled across the toll booths now?

[Old Man River]

Thai expressways to have auto e-tolls

Automatic toll-collecting system ready next year

BANGKOK: -- In November, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) will implement an automatic toll-collecting system using "Easy Pass" electronic cards, EXAT governor Lt-Colonel Thavisin Rakkatanyu said yesterday.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

I hope (which I doubt ) they will have some discount for paying in advance since reduces the cost also have the money in advance in the bank accrue interest

This is not the first time they've tried this. They first installed such a system back in the early 90's. It's still in use, but failed to catch hold precisely because there was no place other than tollway offices to top up the cards, and there was no discount for pre-paying tolls. The problem in both cases was revenue sharing, because part of the expressway system is operated by a private company.

It's the same problem, essentially, as the Skytrain & Subway - the two parties can't agree on who gets to hold the money.

We had those tags and actually the biggest problems were you either had to sit in line with everyone else or try your luck at the express lane. To get to the express lane, you had to maneuverer around everyone else, and when you finally got to this lane, you would often (and I mean often) find some rocket scientist who can't read waiting in front of you at the toll booth wondering where the tollbooth operator was. The police would then come out, stop all traffic until you and everyone else behind you could back up and let the rocket scientist cut in front of some at one of the adjacent lines.

If the above happened once or twice it would just be funny, but it got to the point that there was absolutely no advantage to using this system. I can't wait to see how the new system differs.

[BigBikeBKK]

Anyone heard anything about a toll increase? My Thai sucks but I saw something on a Thai news program that I think indicated an upcoming increase. Cheers!

[Camelot]

I think that increase is only for the Don Muang tollway where the operator wants to increase the fee to 60 baht for a car.

That's separate from the rest of the expressway where, I assume, the fee remains the same.