Imagine whizzing past the luscious landscapes of Thailand, your hands on the wheel and a sense of unrestrained freedom as you glide along the smooth tarmac. But wait, there’s more to make your joyride sweeter – what if I told you for eight glorious days during the effervescent New Year festivities, this particular stretch of freedom comes without the toll bells ringing? Yes, you heard that right! The deputy maestro of the Ministry of Transport, the esteemed Surapong Piyachote, has just waved his magic wand over Motorway No 81, creating a pocket where your wallets can breathe easy.
Now, let’s draw the route on the map of your next adventure – we shall begin our toll-free tale from the west gate of Nakhon Pathom, taking the eager traveler all the way to the historic gates of Kanchanaburi. And here’s something to rev up your engines – this motorway marvel slices your journey time in twain! A mere 30 minutes zipping through, as opposed to the lengthy hour and ten on the usual highways 4 and 323. Imagine what you could do with those extra 40 minutes – perhaps a quick detour for some delicious Thai street food, or a brief photo-op by the roadside temples?
Amidst the season of giving, Surapong Piyachote assures us this isn’t just about beating the clock – there’s an energizing burst of tourism to Kanchanaburi waiting at the end of this toll-free rainbow. The echoes of history and the whispers of natural beauty in Kanchanaburi beckon, with this gift lasting until the bells ring in the dawn of January 3rd.
On the technocrat front, Piyapong Jiwattanakulpaisarn, wielding his deputy director-general’s scepter at the Highways Department, unveils that Motorway No 81, with a spine of 96 kilometers, is just a hair’s breadth away from completion at a whopping 95.96%. The pioneering BGSR Consortium, a titan of infrastructure, has clutched the reins of this project tightly, delivering a design and directing bulldozers and bitumen under a public-private partnership model that’s next-level genius.
As the dust settles, they are set to don the operator’s hat for a cool three decades. From Nonthaburi’s bustling Bang Yai district, Motorway No 81 will parade eight welcoming gates and an ensemble of six rest havens spaced across three strategic locales. Although the Highways Department’s anticipation is building, they’re still engaging in the courtship dance with potential suitors to bring these rest areas to life.
The hopes are high, my traveling friends, as these free lanes offer not only a lighter journey but promise to lighten the snarls and knots of traffic by a marvelous 20%. Picture 9,000 vehicles liberally flowing daily, each brimming with tourists and locals alike, sharing stories and carrying laughter along this stretch, all thanks to this motorway holiday miracle.
So if you happen to be in the realm of Nakhon Pathom as the year wanes, why not be part of this ribbon of revelers? Harness the thrill of the open road, embrace the possibilities that lie in every kilometer of Motorway No 81, and start your New Year with a voyage that’s free in every sense of the word. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!
Be First to Comment