Bangkok: M81 is preparing to open its first 8 stations this Friday, October 10th. The Department of Highways is gearing up for a trial run of the M81 motorway, complete with all eight toll booths, to facilitate public travel during the King Naresuan the Great Memorial Day holiday. The trial, set to begin on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 3:00 PM, will continue until Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 9:00 AM.
According to Thai News Agency, the Department of Highways is responding to the Ministry of Transport's urgent policy aimed at enhancing the country's transportation network for convenience, safety, and reduced travel costs. The trial run of the entire 96-kilometer Bang Yai-Kanchanaburi Motorway No. 81 (Motorway M81) will be toll-free during the specified period, facilitating travel during the long holiday for King Naresuan the Great Day.
The M81 motorway is part of a strategic expressway network designed to improve national transportation and logistics efficiency. It connects key economic areas, communities, and tourist attractions in Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, and Kanchanaburi provinces. The motorway offers an alternative route to the South, easing traffic congestion on Kanchanaphisek and Phetkasem Roads and enhancing travel convenience, speed, and safety.
This marks the first public opening of the service, covering all eight checkpoints: Bang Yai, Nakhon Chai Si, Sisa Thong, Nakhon Pathom east and west, Tha Muang, Thamaka, and Kanchanaburi. Currently, the motorway is undergoing system installation work, so it is open only for trial use by 4-wheel vehicles, with a speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour for safety.
The Department of Highways urges road users to study travel information, ensure vehicle readiness, and adhere to traffic rules, signage, and instructions from officials for safety. For further details, the Department of Highways hotline at 1586, the Motorway Call Center at 1586, press 7, or the Motorway M81 Call Center at 092 280 8181-5130 are available for assistance.