The inbound Dao Khanong toll plaza on the Chalerm Maha Nakhon expressway reopened on Thursday morning after debris from last Saturday’s fatal bridge collapse was cleared, according to the Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat).
Crews removed all obstructions at the site in Bangkok’s Chom Thong district, repaired the tarmac, and repainted lane markings in time for the toll plaza to resume operations at 6 a.m. However, Exat announced that the plaza would close nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. to facilitate ongoing construction of the Rama III-Dao Khanong-Western Bangkok Outer Ring Road expressway project.
The collapse occurred last Saturday when a large cross beam was being cast for the new elevated expressway above both the inbound and outbound ramps of the Chalerm Maha Nakhon expressway. The accident resulted in six worker fatalities.
Traffic at the reopened toll plaza was reported to be moving smoothly on Thursday morning, which officials attributed to the school holiday. However, congestion remains a concern for outbound traffic. The collapse completely severed the elevated outbound ramp leading to Rama II Road, a key route connecting Bangkok to the southern provinces.
Motorists heading outbound are currently being diverted to Suksawat Road, where heavy traffic has been observed. Exat Governor Surachet Laophulsuk stated that repairs to the outbound ramp would be expedited and were expected to take approximately one month.
In response to the collapse, Exat is preparing to file a complaint against the contractor responsible. The project’s third construction contract is held by the ITD-VCB joint venture, a partnership between Italian-Thai Development Plc and Vichitbhan Construction.
