M-Pass and Easy Pass snafu

[digbeth]

Just a reminder for those of us that has both pass is that you need to take one of them down before going through the tolls from now on

 

Many of us here in Pattaya and Chonburi who drives to Bangkok on a regular basis would have en M-Pass to get through the tolls on Hwy. 7 (and parts of 9)

Since the 1st of November you can now use either the M Pass or the Easy pass to go through any toll system interchangeably now, so you can just use the M pass on the expressways in Bangkok and The Buraphawithi to Bang Na, and Bangkokians with their easy pass can go through the M-Pass toll booths on the Hwy 7 and the bit of the 9 that goes up north now....

 

The problem is those of us that has both the M-Pass and Easy pass...  It used to be that the separate systems deduct from their own pass no problem... maybe with the new cooperation they might both deduct both pass at the same time

 

I'd expect it to be problem and indeed there is.... you can't use both at the same time... meaning that you have to remove one from your windscreen, or the system would get confused and can't decide which one to deduct the tolls from... I'd found out last night where I went on the Burapha Withi expressway, on the entrance the thing beeped and show me the balance of my M-Pass okay, but on the exit the gates won't open.... there were notices on pieces of A4 paper but only in Thai, and the booth attendance came out and explained that I have to choose which one I use from now on; and  I can make an application for a refund of the balance on one of the pass if I want.

 

So now one of the pass goes in the glovebox instead of both on the windscreen now.

 

 

 

 

So it's a matter of convenience on which you'd choose which pass to use from now on,

the Easy-Pass can be topped up by most banks' online banking and ATMs, and at some expressways offices in person for no fee.... but there is no where near Pattaya to apply or top up in person.

the M-Pass on the other hand cannot be applied/topped up in person at the motorway toll booths office on the roadside or even at their service area, only at the Government's KTB bank branches only, most branch in Pattaya and Chonburi have the M-Pass kit to sell and you can top up in person in Pattaya which is convenient for some, at branches where the kit is not available they can still makes the application for you to collect later or receive in the post.

 

For the M-Pass I get monthly printed statement and SMS reminder when the balance is running low, I think for the Easy Pass you can choose to receive the statement for extra fee or not I'm not too sure

 

Oh and for the M-Pass, the top-up card works as a Visa Debit card without the need for a bank account, so you can put money in the card and withdraw it from ATM and swipe it at the shops... maybe useful for people who can't get bank accounts? 

 

M-Pass might be more convenient for those of us in Pattaya that don't have access to online banking or willing to use ATMs to top up, but that involves going into a bank branch.

 

For me the easypass is more convenient in that I can just top up at the toll office in Bangkok for no fee, on some tolls you can even top up with cash at the booths too 

[Mattd]

Digbeth, thanks for the post, very informative.

 

Regarding the Easypass, can you recall what you had to provide to get one? I travel between BKK and Pattaya every weekend and do need to get one or the other now that they are unified, for me, Easypass being the easiest to obtain as can get from the offices at the toll gates.

I've researched the documents required, however, this seems to differ whatever you read!

 

Cheers!

 

[digbeth]

Just an ID and not even a photocopy of the car's bluebook was asked for, you just had to provide the car's registration on the form

[Mattd]

Digbeth, perfect thanks, so a copy of my passport only? I do have a copy of the blue book in the car anyway, just in case.

Will give it a go this afternoon, just hope the Rama 4 entrance towards Don Muang office sells them!

[digbeth]

I think sign up service is available at all toll office in the inner city ones, only the 2nd phase expressway (the one that goes from victory monument out over rama9 to Srinakharin and onto Airport and Hwy7) and the ring road bits between Bang Na and the south that's not available at all office

 

Burapah Withi is supposed to have them available at all toll office as well 

 

Otherplace I recall seeing signing up place is the PTT station inside the expressway service area as you are heading out to Bang Na

 

The Hwy7 M-Pass used to have mobile truck from KTB bank doing the sign up at the Motorway service station when they first became available, that's convenient too bad they didn't make it permanent... they just outsource all customer handling and payment to the bank which is ideal in theory... but the government KTB bank is just about the worst... and the problem of not being able to pay at the office means a trip to the bank means probably the M-Pass will get sidelined into obscurity