Bid to reduce toll on Ngam Wong Wan-Rama IX expressway stretch
The Transport Ministry is planning to negotiate with Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM), operator of the 2nd stage expressway, to reduce the toll fee for the Ngam Wong Wan-Rama IX section from the current maximum of 90 baht to a maximum of 50 baht, minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said on Thursday.
He expects the move, which aims to reduce people’s financial burden, to be proposed to the Cabinet for approval by August. The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) is drafting measures to compensate BEM for lost revenue, including increasing the revenue share for the company and extending the concession contract, he added.
Suriya said he had also tasked Exat to work with the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP) to find ways to reduce traffic congestion on expressways in inner Bangkok to ensure smooth and faster travel.
Exat has also been told to increase channels where people can top up the Easy Pass prepaid expressway fee to encourage motorists to switch to using Easy Pass. The Easy Pass booths are much faster than traditional booths due to a barricade-free system.
The toll fee for the 17-kilometre-long Ngam Wong Wan-Rama IX expressway currently starts at 25 baht and is capped at 90 baht. The ministry aims to cut the maximum fare to 50 baht by removing the Prachacheun and Asoke toll booths for the outbound route, which collect an additional toll of 25 baht each. Doing so will also help facilitate the traffic flow as the two toll booths are usually highly congested.
On the inbound route, motorists passing through the Prachacheun booth will pay 50 baht instead of 65 baht, and 25 baht instead of 50 baht at the Asoke booth.
Suriya said the negotiations were expected to take around two months as the change in the concession contract must be approved by the Office of the Attorney General and the Public-Private Partnership Committee.
