Revolutionary roadmap revealed: Thailand’s expressway blitz to slash emissions

The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) unwrapped an audacious 10-year blueprint set to roll out 200 kilometres of spanking new expressways, aimed at slashing a whopping 30% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The ambitious plan is the key to unlocking Thailand’s carbon neutrality by 2050, as revealed by EXAT Governor Surachet Laophulsuk at the electrifying Sustainability Forum 2024 hosted by Krungthep Turakij at BITEC Bangna in Bangkok.

Surachet, with unwavering commitment, declared EXAT’s resolute stance against climate change, aligning the agency’s vision with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over its 51-year history, EXAT has laid down more than 224 kilometres of expressway routes, effectively cutting traffic-induced greenhouse gas emissions by a staggering 400,000 tonnes annually.

Speaking about the project Sustainable Urbanisation: Better Cities and Communities, Surachet outlined EXAT’s strategy to further extend the expressway network into urban and rural realms, providing a dual impact of reducing congestion in major cities and broadening transportation alternatives for the public.

“We aim to build at least 200 kilometres of expressway in the next decade, matching our accomplishments from the past 51 years, thereby intensifying our assault on greenhouse gas emissions.”

Zooming into the immediate future, EXAT’s master plan includes a 16.2-kilometre extension of the Chalong Rat Expressway’s Jatuchote-Lamlukka segment in 2024, seamlessly connecting with Hathai Rat Road to alleviate the traffic snarl in Bangkok’s eastern suburbs.

Early 2025 promises a double whammy with the inauguration of the 18.7-kilometre western extension of the Rama III Expressway and the 11.3-kilometre eastern extension segment of the Stage 3 Expressway, reported The Nation.

But that’s not all. EXAT isn’t just building roads, it’s reshaping itself to be a trailblazer in emission reduction. The organisation is rolling out an internal revolution, embracing LED lighting, electric vehicles, and installing solar panels on office buildings and toll booths, all aimed at significantly cutting down greenhouse gas emissions.

In related news, young minds from all corners of Thailand recently converged in Bangkok to unveil General Comment No. 26 (GC26), a global manifesto championing children’s rights and environmental protection. Read more about this story HERE.