The Government has rolled out a series of New Year’s gifts for the people, ranging from toll exemptions, free parking at several main airports and free entrance to free national park entry, a freeze on electricity charges for up to four months and a freeze on diesel prices until January 10^th.

From the Transport Ministry, deputy government spokeswoman Ms. Traisulee Traisoranakul said that tolls would be exempted for all vehicles from December 27^th until midnight of January 3^rd on three toll-way routes, namely ring roads No 7 and 9 between Bang Pa-in and Bang Phli and between Phra Pradaeng and Bang Khae, Phra Pradeng and Bang Khun Thian, Buravithi and Kanchanapisek expressways between Bang Phli and Suksawat.

A 5% percent discount per trip, for motorists with automatic passes when using expressways, for one month and a discount on the use of coupons on the use of Don Muang toll-way for up to six months.

City bus commuters using electronic tickets will be given a refund of 15 trips per month, or 30 baht, until January 31^st.

For air travel, free parking at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and Phuket airports and discounted air tickets for weekday travel on Thai Smile from today (Wednesday) until January 1^st.

Extension of the operating hours of the Airport Link, Blue Line and Purple Line train services on New Year’s Eve until January 1^st from 5.30pm to midnight for Airport Link and from 6am to 2am of the next day for the Blue and Purple lines.

Free car checks at 259 locations on highways across the country during the New Year holiday period.

As far as the Interior Ministry is concerned, state run pawn shops will offer discount interest rates from January 1^st until February 2^nd, including 0.24%/month for items valued at not over 5,000 baht and 1%/month for items worth over 5,000 baht.

Gifts from the Ministry of Energy include a one-baht discount/litre for B10 and E20 diesel fuels from today until January 10^th and a freezing of FT electricity surcharges from January until end of April.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will open 113 parks in 36 provinces for free on December 31^st and January 1^st.  Five million seeds of 23 species of precious trees and saplings will be distributed free of charge.