The expressway authority will support a five baht increase in the toll for the Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway (route 1) and Si Rat Expressway (route 2) in September this year, Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) governor Aiyanat Tinarpai said on Monday.
The new rates would be: 45 to 50 baht for four-wheel vehicles, 70 to 80 baht for vehicles with six to 10 wheels, and 100 to 115 baht for vehicles with more than 10 wheels.
Mr Aiyanat said EXAT and Bangkok Expressway Public Co Ltd (BECL) are to begin negotiations on the increase in March.
EXAT would afterwards put a proposal to the board committee and the cabinet. The toll increase would take effect on Sept 1, 2013.
Deputy Transport Minister Prin Suwannatat said that under the expressway contract the operator can raise the expressway toll every five years, with the increase based on the inflation rate and the consumer price index.
Gen Prin said he had instructed EXAT to discuss with relevant agencies whether the public should pay the 7% value added tax or not, because EXAT had shouldered that tax at up to 800 million baht a year since 1992, at an accumulated cost of 12 billion baht.
Photo by Somchai Poomlard