The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) reopened the inbound Dao Khanong toll plaza for the Chalerm Maha Nakhon expressway on Thursday morning after nearby debris from last Saturday’s expressway bridge collapse was removed.
All debris blocking road access to the toll plaza in Chom Thong district of Bangkok was removed, the tarmac surface repaired and lane markings painted in time for the 6am opening.
However, Exat said the toll plaza would be closed at night from 9pm to 5am every day to accommodate construction of the elevated Rama III-Dao Khanong-Western Bangkok Outer Ring Road expressway project until it is completed.
The fatal collapse last Saturday occurred when a huge cross beam was being cast for the new elevated expressway above the inbound and outbound ramps of the Chalerm Maha Nakhon expressway. Six workers were killed.
Traffic was smooth at the reopened toll plaza on Thursday morning, possibly due to the ongoing school holiday, said Pol Maj Gen Thawat Wongsa-nga, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.
However, the outbound traffic flow from the Chalerm Maha Nakhon expressway remains a big concern, he said.
The collapsed cross beam completely cut off the elevated outbound ramp of the expressway connecting to Rama II Road, the main route from Bangkok to the South.
Pol Maj Gen Thawat said that outbound motorists had to exit the expressway on Suksawat Road instead and traffic there was heavy.
Exat governor Surachet Laophulsuk said he too was worried about evening outbound traffic and that the organisation would repair the outbound ramp as soon as possible.
Mr Surachet said on the weekend that he expected the repairs to the outbound ramp would take about a month.
He also said that his agency was preparing to file a complaint on Thursday against the contractor that was responsible for the collapse.
The ITD-VCB joint venture holds the third contract for the Rama III-Dao Khanong-Western Outer Ring Road expressway project. It consists of Italian-Thai Development Plc and Vichitbhan Construction.