The M81 intercity motorway connecting Bang Yai to Kanchanaburi is expected to be fully constructed by the end of July 2025, with full-scale operations and toll collection scheduled for 2026, according to the Department of Highways.
The 96-kilometer M81 motorway, stretching from Bang Yai in Nonthaburi to Kanchanaburi, has reached 99.86 percent completion on civil construction works, with 23 out of 24 contracts finalized. The remaining section, contract 12, is slated to be completed within July 2025.
As part of the operations and maintenance (O&M) phase, eight toll plazas are being developed: Bang Yai, Nakhon Chai Si, Sisa Thong, East Nakhon Pathom, West Nakhon Pathom, Tha Muang, Tha Maka, and Kanchanaburi. These facilities and their related systems are 86.05 percent complete and are targeted for full operation by the end of the year.
Currently, a temporary toll-free service is being provided from Friday 3:00 PM through Monday 9:00 AM over a four-day period. Full 24-hour daily service across all eight toll gates is expected to launch by the end of 2025 to accommodate peak travel during the New Year holidays.
From 2026 onward, toll collection will begin. Passenger cars will be charged up to 150 baht for the full route, starting at 10 baht and increasing by 1.5 baht per kilometer. Six-wheel trucks will pay up to 240 baht, while larger vehicles will be charged up to 350 baht.
M81 is a ground-level motorway featuring four to six lanes and connects with the western outer ring road (Kanchanaphisek Road) in Bang Yai district, Nonthaburi. It terminates at Highway 324 in Phanom Thuan district, Kanchanaburi province. The route traverses four provinces—Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, and Kanchanaburi—reducing travel time from Bangkok to under one hour.
Officials from the Department of Highways, including Deputy Director-General Phongsakorn Chullapote and other senior transport engineers, visited the project on July 16, 2025, to assess progress and readiness for public service.