Exat toll hike on key expressways pauses by Ministry of Transport

The Progressive Ministry of Transport has issued a directive to the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) to maintain the current toll charges for Chalong Rat and Bang Na expressways for another six months, running through February of next year.

This development will stave off the proposal by Exat to implement a 10% increase in tolls on both routes. The toll hike would amount to a minimum of five baht per vehicular category. The date of that price increase has now been kicked down the road until next year.

Athirat Rattanaseth, the Deputy Minister of Transport, announced the decision to suspend the rate increase proposal, explaining that the delay was confirmed in a bid to alleviate the financial burden on stressed citizens, struggling to afford life in the current economy.

This verdict was reached after an Exat board council presided over by Soraphong Phaitoonpong, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Transport. The board had originally given consent to the proposed toll increase, alluding to the revenue transfer agreement (RTA) with the Thailand Future Fund (TFFIF), linked to the Chalong Rat and Bang Na expressways, reported Bangkok Post.

The agreement outlines a consistent 10% hike in Exat’s toll revenues every five years. This scheme is intended to rise in line with the Consumer Price Index. Presently, Exat is expected to enter discussions with TFFIF about the toll prices whilst awaiting further directives from the Ministry, an insider privvy to the meetings revealed.

Exat had already previously prolonged the toll fee deductions, pushing back toll hikes. That delay was valid for all vehicles on both expressways for six months until the year’s end.

Reducing or waiving toll fees is not uncommon, with Exat often utilising the technique as a way to stimulate travel, especially during holiday periods.

At the end of last month, Exat announced that toll fees for three major expressways would be suspended on July 28 and August 1 and 2, which aligned with the long 6-day weekend holiday. The decision was made to benefit a large number of travellers and commuters expected to be on the move during this period.