M82 Highway Opens Free Trial Service Friday

On August 24, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, along with senior officials from the Transport Ministry, Department of Highways, Samut Sakhon Province, Royal Thai Police, and related agencies, inspected the M82 expressway project spanning Bang Khun Thian, Ekachai, and Ban Phaew to assess progress and readiness before the public trial opening of the Ekachai–Ban Phaew section on Friday, August 28, 2025, at 10:00 AM.

Ratchakitprakarn stated that the Transport Ministry and Department of Highways are accelerating the M82 motorway project to benefit the public and fulfill the "Quick Win" policy. The new section will operate 24 hours daily with free toll passage, allowing uninterrupted elevated highway use from Bang Khun Thian through Ekachai to Ban Phaew, a distance of approximately 25 kilometers. This provides an additional route option on Rama II Road and improves connectivity to Southern Thailand.

The Department of Highways has been instructed to verify all service sections meet standards, including structure, pavement, lighting, signs, traffic markings, and safety equipment. The department will coordinate with highway police, provincial police, rescue units, and local agencies to station personnel, patrol vehicles, and emergency response teams 24/7. Traffic management plans for M82 and Rama II Road, particularly at entry-exit points and the Ban Phaew junction, are being prepared, along with public information campaigns on access points, route conditions, and speed limits. A load test conducted on August 15 with the Engineering Institute of Thailand and structural engineers, using AASHTO standards and legal load specifications, confirmed the structure's response values are within acceptable limits, validating readiness for safe operation.