"Phiphat" visited HTOC – M6 to monitor traffic nationwide and engage with the public. M6 motorway was opened free outbound from Wang Noi to Korat from 26 Dec 2025 to 1 Jan 2026. The inbound route to Bangkok was free from 2 to 5 Jan 2026. Since opening, over 60,000 vehicles have used it daily, reducing congestion on Mittraphap Road by 40%.
29 Dec 2025 at the Department of Highways Traffic Management Center. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, revealed after visiting the Department of Highways' Highway Traffic Operations Center (HTOC) to hear a briefing on facilitating and ensuring safe travel during the 2026 New Year festival that the Department of Highways has opened the Bang Pa-In to Korat (M6) motorway free of charge for outbound traffic from Bangkok from 26 Dec 2025 to 1 Jan 2026, and inbound to Bangkok free from 2 to 5 Jan 2026.
Since opening, about 50,000 to 60,000 vehicles travel this route daily, helping to ease outbound traffic from Bangkok on Mittraphap Road, reducing congestion there by 40%. The Department of Highways expects to fully open M6 for both inbound and outbound traffic by the end of 2026.
Regarding traffic on motorways M81 (Bang Yai to Kanchanaburi), after all 8 toll booths were opened for free during the festival, average traffic increased from 10,000 to 20,000 vehicles per day. On motorway M82 (Bang Khun Thian to Ekachai), also free, outbound traffic over three days totaled 184,946 vehicles—14.8% higher than usual—while inbound traffic was 142,688 vehicles—8.4% less than normal.
Mr. Phiphat added that it is forecast that personal vehicle travel in and out of Bangkok during the festival will average 1.1 million vehicles, split evenly with 550,000 inbound and 550,000 outbound. The Department of Highways and Ministry of Transport are fully committed to facilitating travel by both public and private vehicles and are confident that accidents will decrease by 4-5% this year.
Read the news " Government Policy " for more information.