Drivers could soon slash their journey from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi to under an hour, with the long-awaited M81 motorway on track to open before the end of the year.
The Department of Highways confirmed that the 96-kilometre route, stretching from Bang Yai in Nonthaburi to Kanchanaburi, is now in its final stages. Director-General Apirat Chaiwongnoi said only finishing touches remain, including road systems and maintenance works.
The M81 cuts through four provinces: Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, and Kanchanaburi and is designed with both six-lane and four-lane sections. It will feature advanced traffic management systems such as M-Flow automatic toll collection, speed detection, and roadside assistance centres.
Motorists will have access to eight toll gates strategically placed at Bang Yai, Nakhon Chaisi, Nakhon Pathom, Tha Maka, Tha Muang, Kanchanaburi, and Srisathong.
Trial runs began on December 26 last year, with the motorway partially opened on weekends from Friday at 3pm to Monday at 9am. According to Apirat, the response has been overwhelming, with daily usage averaging 35,000 vehicles and surging to around 40,000 during peak holiday periods.
The motorway proved its worth during this year’s Songkran festival, reducing traffic congestion by up to 34% in key areas and offering drivers a far quicker alternative to existing routes. Once fully operational, travel time from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi is expected to be cut to just 50 minutes, a significant improvement from current journeys that often exceed two hours, according to Bangkok Post.
Apirat stressed that the M81 would not only ease holiday gridlock but also boost tourism and trade in western Thailand, making Kanchanaburi far more accessible to Bangkok residents and visitors.
The Department of Highways expects the project to be completed and fully open before the end of the year, in time for the New Year travel rush.
In similar news, the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) is moving ahead with plans for two new expressways in Phuket, covering 34.6 kilometres with an investment budget of 27 billion baht. The project, expected to open by 2030, will charge tolls between 15 and 125 baht.
EXAT governor Surachet Laophulsuk confirmed that public hearings have begun to encourage private sector participation under the 2019 Public-Private Partnership Act.
The story M81 motorway to Kanchanaburi planned for opening by year’s end as seen on Thaiger News.
