TRAT, Thailand – Thailand’s Expressway Authority has proposed tolls of 90 baht for motorcycles, 340 baht for four-wheel vehicles and up to 1,020 baht for heavy vehicles using a planned bridge linking the mainland with Koh Chang in Trat province.
The preliminary flat-rate tolls would apply per trip, with collection at a toll plaza in Laem Ngop district. Pedestrians would cross free of charge. Drivers could pay in cash or electronically.
The proposed 5.9-kilometre expressway would connect Ban Thammachat Lang in Khlong Yai subdistrict, Laem Ngop, with Ban Dan Mai on Koh Chang. The project has an estimated total investment and cost of 18.76 billion baht.
The chairman of the Trat Federation of Thai Industries, Sutthilak Khumkhrongrak, said local businesses considered the proposed rates reasonable, particularly when compared with current ferry costs. Taking a car across by ferry now costs around 500–600 baht for a return trip, he said, and fares could rise over the coming decade.
He said ferry queues can stretch for hours during busy periods, sometimes prompting visitors to choose other destinations. A bridge would ease this bottleneck, provide round-the-clock access and support tourism and investment in Trat.
The authority expects the bridge to open in 2035, with initial traffic estimated at 3,186 vehicles a day, rising to 8,978 by 2064. The toll rates remain preliminary and require formal approval. Public consultation meetings are scheduled for November 12 at Trat City Hotel and November 13 at Aiyapura Resort on Koh Chang.
