Democrat Party Opposes 30-Year Don Muang Tollway Extension Proposed by Suriya Jungrungreangkit

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The Democrat Party has sounded a clarion call of opposition to Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit’s audacious proposal—offering a 30-year extension to the operator of the Don Muang Tollway in exchange for a tantalizing fare reduction to 50 baht. This 21-kilometre expanse of expressway stretches seamlessly from Bangkok’s bustling Din Daeng area to the tranquil confines of the National Memorial in Pathum Thani’s Lam Luk Ka district.

Now, why all the hullabaloo, you ask? The concessionaire is champing at the bit to increase fares by a modest five to ten baht come December 22. This hike would nudge the rate from 80 to 90 baht for the Din Daeng to Don Muang section, and from 35 to 40 baht for the Don Muang to National Memorial segment. Suriya, ever the savvy operator, claims that extending the concession would alleviate the government’s financial strain, sparing it from compensating for the dip in revenue resulting from lower tolls.

However, not everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet. Charnchai Issarasenarak, a former Democrat MP for Nakhon Nayok, isn’t buying it. He says the proposal is a dud, primarily because the current concession expires in 2034, after which motorists can zip along the expressway for free. “Extending the concession means the operator pockets cash for another 30 years,” he argues, exasperated.

Samart Ratchapolsitte, former deputy Bangkok governor, didn’t mince words either. Venting his thoughts on Facebook, he stressed that government entities typically haggle with expressway operators to delay toll increases and ease living costs for the populace. However, he contends, the minister’s scheme doesn’t pass the smell test when it comes to public benefit. While an extension might save motorists some baht, it essentially shackles the state from meddling in toll fare settings during the extended period. He asserts that should the expressway return to state control post-concession, the state would have carte blanche to slash fares.

Of course, the operator maintains a different tune. They insist that the impending toll hikes align perfectly with the periodic fare adjustments permissible every five years under the existing concession agreement. Using their math, the toll will likely climb from 130 baht per trip to a hefty 145 baht per trip before the current concession finally bites the dust.

Backtracking a bit—under the original 25-year deal, the operation should have handed over the expressway keys to the state in 2014. However, the narrative takes a twist. Between 2005 and 2006, the operator sang a mournful ballad of financial losses due to the government stonewalling a fare hike and a traffic nosedive following Suvarnabhumi Airport’s inauguration. This led to fraught negotiations with the Highway Department. The result? The operator snagged an additional 27 years to oversee the expressway and the leeway to jack up fares as stipulated.

In the grand scheme of things, while Suriya’s extension proposition might sprinkle some temporary relief on the wallets of weary motorists, critics argue it’s merely kicking the can down the road. The debate rages on, churning waves in Bangkok’s volatile political waters, as stakeholders wrangle over a compromise that tips the scales in favor of public good.