Transport Minister Confirms Rama 2 Construction Will Not Finish This Year
Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn debunks the former government's pledge, citing numerous contracts that are "far from completion."
- Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has officially confirmed that the extensive construction on Rama 2 Road will not be fully completed by the end of this year.
- This confirmation contradicts a major pledge made by the previous government, which had promised a completion timeline within the year.
- While the entire project will not be finished, the assessment suggests that some individual sections, which are over 90% complete, will likely be opened to the public separately.
The long-running construction saga on Thailand’s Rama 2 Road will not conclude this year, Minister of Transport Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed, contradicting a major pledge made by the previous government.
In a briefing on his first working day at the ministry on Thursday, the Deputy Prime Minister stated that his initial review of the data showed it was "impossible" for all the extensive work on the vital southern thoroughfare to be fully finished before the year's end.
Phiphat, who is planning an on-site inspection soon after the government delivers its official policy statement, refused to comment directly on the timeline promised by his predecessors.
"I won't speak about it. You'd have to ask the former officials, as the work has been ongoing for two years," he told reporters.
The Minister's assessment suggests that within the current year, only selected sections of the highway will likely be opened to the public, with no chance of the entire project—which includes new motorways and elevated expressways—being completed concurrently.
Current Progress on Major Projects
Major construction projects currently underway on Rama 2 Road include:
Rama 3 – Dao Khanong – Outer Ring Road Expressway (West): This elevated expressway project is over 90% complete. The Expressways Authority of Thailand (EXAT) is reportedly accelerating work on the Bang Khun Thian interchange connection, aiming for completion this September.
Intercity Motorway No. 82 (Bang Khun Thian – Ban Phaeo): The initial Bang Khun Thian – Ekachai civil works sections are 100% complete. The subsequent Ekachai – Ban Phaeo section, which is divided into ten sub-contracts, is currently 83.43% finished.
