The board of the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) has decided to freeze the tolls on the Bang Phli-Suk Sawat (Kanchanapisek) expressway for six months, from September 1^st to February 29^th next year, to ease the financial burden on motorists.

The board also agreed to freeze the tolls for motorists who have the Easy Pass, for use on the Bang Na-Chon Buri (Burapha Withi) and Ramindra-At Narong (Chalong Rat) expressways, for the same period. Motorists who do not have Easy Pass will be required to pay an additional 5 baht for using the two expressways, effective from September 1^st.

Sorapong Paitoonphong, deputy permanent secretary for transport and chairman of EXAT, said that the EXAT proposed to the board, at its meeting on Tuesday, to increase toll fees by about 10%, or 5 baht, in line with the CPI (consumer price index) for the three expressways, effective from September 1^st.

He said that the 6-month toll freeze for the Bang Phli-Suk Sawat expressway will incur about 180 million baht in revenue shortfall for EXAT, based on an average of 200,000 vehicles using the expressway on a daily basis.

The tolls on the other two expressways will, however, have to be adjusted under a contract between the EXAT and the Thailand Future Fund (TFFIF), which stipulates that tolls are subject to adjustment every five years.

Sorapong said that, during the past five years, it is estimated that the CPI (consumer price index) has increased by 108%, which translates into the increase in toll of about 10%.

At present, an average of 95,000 vehicles use the Bang Na-Chon Buri expressway, half of which have Easy Passes, while about 220,000 vehicles use the Ramindra-At Narong expressway on daily basis, and half of them have Easy Passes.

The EXAT is expected lose about 113 million baht in revenue during the 6-month toll freeze.