- Photo: Don Muang Tollway Facebook via The Nation/ANN
BANGKOK: The Department of Highways is unlikely to extend the Don Muang Tollway concession when the contract expires in 2034, according to Samart Ratchapolsitte, deputy leader of the Democrat Party and former deputy governor of Bangkok.
In a post on his Facebook page on Saturday, Samart said the decision follows a letter from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) dated July 31, seeking clarification from the Department of Highways to five questions related to the extension of the tollway concession.
The NACC's Office of Monitoring and Assessing Corruption reviewed the matter and concluded that extending the concession might pose a risk of loss to the state and potentially favour the private concessionaire.
The Department of Highways was asked to respond by August 7.
The latest development indicates that the working group assigned to consider reducing toll fees in exchange for extending the concession, established by the Department of Highways, has concluded that they do not agree with reducing toll fees in exchange for extending the concession.
This decision implies that the concession for the Don Muang Tollway would not be extended beyond September 11, 2034, when the current contract expires, Samart said in the post.
The Department of Highways first granted the Don Muang Tollway concession to Don Muang Tollway Pcl on August 21, 1989, for 25 years, ending on August 20, 2014.
The concession was extended twice before the contract expired.
The first extension was on November 29, 1996, for an additional 7 years, 3 months, and 8 days, extending the contract to November 28, 2021.
The second extension was on September 12, 2007, for an additional 12 years, 9 months, and 14 days, setting the expiry date on September 11, 2034 — a total concession period of 45 years and 21 days.
Samart expressed his gratitude to the Department of Highways' working group for considering the impact on the public, who would have been adversely affected by an extension of the concession to the private concessionaire. - The Nation/ANN
