No contract extension for Don Muang Tollway operator: Highways Dept
Authority decides not to extend the contract with the current operator despite scheduled toll fee increase in December
The Highways Department has resolved not to extend the contract with the concessionaire of the elevated Don Muang Tollway even though toll fees will be increased in December.
Sarawut Songsivilai, director-general of the Highways Department, said the panel tasked with reviewing the Don Muang Tollway Plc (DMT) concession contract has decided to let the contract expire in 2034.
He added that once the contract expires, the elevated tollway will become state property and the authorities may decide to make the tollway free or set a flat 20-baht rate based on a future study on maintenance costs.
Earlier, the DMT had announced that it was authorised by its contract to raise the toll fee to the maximum level as of December 22 for the next five years.
Under this system, toll fees from Din Daeng to Don Muang will rise by 10 baht, and from Don Muang to National Memorial by 5 baht. Hence, the cost for four-wheel vehicles will start at 40 baht and go as high as 130 baht for the entire route, while larger vehicles will pay between 50 baht and 170 baht.
Earlier, caretaker Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit had instructed the department to study the pros and cons of extending the contract with the DMT in exchange for keeping the toll fees frozen.
Sarawut said his department set up a committee on July 3 to study this issue and the panel concluded that the contract should not be extended as it would not be worth it in the long term.
He said his department will study the issue again five years before the contract expires to determine whether the elevated tollway should be run by his department or if it should conduct a new round of bidding.
The study will also work out the elevated highway’s maintenance costs.
If the maintenance costs are found to be not very high, then the department will propose that it be allowed to oversee the highway so motorists can be allowed to use it for free, he said. The other option, he added, is that the toll fee may be kept at a flat rate of 20 baht.
