The Ministry of Transport is preparing to open a free trial of the M82 Motorway from Bang Khun Thian to Ban Phaeo starting 28 Aug 2026, continuing until 2029. The aim is to end the decades-long saga of the "7-Lifetime Road" and help reduce traffic congestion on Rama 2 Road heading south.
Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, revealed after inspecting readiness before the trial opening of Motorway No. 82 (M82) from Bang Khun Thian to Ban Phaeo, covering 25 kilometers on 28 August, that all aspects are fully prepared. Emphasis was placed on engineering safety, especially testing the bridge's load-bearing capacity in tons per square meter.
“The engineering team, together with the Engineering Institute of Thailand under the Royal Patronage (EIT), conducted tests and found no issues. This opening marks the end of the decades-long construction of Rama 2 Road and erases the public's longstanding image of the '7-Lifetime Road,'”Mr. Phiphat said.
The trial opening of the M82 Motorway on the Ekachai–Ban Phaeo section, spanning 16.4 kilometers, will begin on Friday, 28 August 2026 at 10:00 a.m., with no toll fees charged initially. This will enable continuous use of the entire M82 route from the Bang Khun Thian interchange to the Ban Phaeo terminus until 2029. The motorway aims to alleviate traffic congestion on Rama 2 Road, reduce travel time from Bangkok to the south, and support transportation as well as stimulate the economies and tourism of Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and other southern provinces.
This trial opening allows the public to travel continuously on M82 from the southern Kanchanaphisek Ring Road onto the elevated M82 motorway on Rama 2 Road at the Bang Khun Thian interchange, passing Ekachai and ending at the Ban Phaeo exit, covering approximately 25 kilometers. From there, travelers can continue on Highway 35 (Rama 2 Road) towards Samut Songkhram and onward to the Bang Manow interchange in Pak Tho District, Ratchaburi Province, connecting to other southern provinces.
Once operational, the motorway is expected to reduce traffic on the lower Rama 2 Road, which currently carries over 100,000 vehicles daily, by about 20%. It will also save at least 40 minutes of travel time from the origin to Ban Phaeo. Construction work on the lower-level entry and exit ramps will be expedited for completion before year-end.
During the trial period, four toll gates will be operational:
Phanthai Norasingh tollgate,
Mahachai 1 tollgate,
Mahachai 2 tollgate,
and Ban Phaeo tollgate.
The Samut Sakhon 1 and Samut Sakhon tollgates are still under construction. The Department of Highways plans to accelerate remaining civil works to complete by 2026. The toll collection and traffic control systems will be implemented starting in 2027, with full toll collection targeted by 2029.
For maximum safety during the trial, the Department of Highways has set speed limits as follows:
Four-wheeled vehicles: no more than 80 kilometers per hour,
and vehicles with more than four wheels (trucks/buses): no more than 65 kilometers per hour.
Other vehicle types not permitted on the motorway can continue to use the lower Rama 2 Road as usual. Construction of the lower-level entry and exit ramps will be expedited for completion before the end of 2026.
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