Phiphat clarifies only part of Rama II closed for safety

Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn and the chief of the Department of Highways on Sunday clarified that only a 3-kilometre section of Rama II Road’s main carriageway will be closed during construction work on the M82 elevated motorway, countering reports that the entire route would be shut.

Phiphat, who is also a deputy prime minister, and Piyapong Jiwattanakulpaisarn, director-general of the Department of Highways, said the reports were inaccurate. They said only the six main traffic lanes—three lanes in each direction—would be closed on the affected section, while motorists would be diverted to four frontage-road lanes, two in each direction.

Closure follows January 15 launcher crane collapse

The Department of Highways announced the closure of the main carriageway at the construction site after a launcher crane collapsed onto two vehicles, killing two drivers on January 15.

‘100% closure’ refers to the main lanes on the affected section

Phiphat made the remarks during a site visit to monitor progress on M82 (Section 7) and address public concerns about the closure. He stressed that the measure is aimed at safety, not at adding burdens for road users.

He said the earlier reference to a “100% closure” meant closing only the main carriageway on sections where there is severe structural damage and urgent repairs are required, to prevent further accidents during lifting operations and the use of heavy machinery.

Key assurances from the transport minister

Not an entire closure: Only the most necessary and urgent sections are being closed.

Safety comes first: The “Safety First” principle is being applied to reduce the risk of falling materials during travel.

No shielding contractors: He said the government will act in accordance with the law and will consider penalties, including blacklisting contractors found to have been negligent.

Traffic management plan for km 29+100 to km 32+100

Piyapong said the traffic plan covers the stretch from km 29+100 to km 32+100 (about 3 km). The road has three main lanes and two frontage-road lanes, for a total of five lanes per direction (or 10 lanes in both directions combined).

Authorities will close all main lanes (100%—three lanes per direction) to maximise safety during bridge demolition and concrete works to connect cantilever bridge spans. The frontage road will remain open, with two lanes per direction.

Additional measures include physical adjustments to connecting roads and changes to entry and exit points to reduce bottlenecks and improve traffic flow.

Traffic dispersal measures

• Road adjustments: Widening entry and exit points to ease bottlenecks.
• 24-hour personnel: Police and volunteer traffic officers stationed at diversion points around the clock.
• Reversible lane: A reversible lane will be prepared on the side with lighter traffic to help relieve congestion during peak hours.

Work timeline: January 24 to March 27, 2026

The Department of Highways said the repairs involve removing damaged bridge decking linked to the LG crane accident and carrying out concrete works connecting the bridge over the Tha Chin River.

• Duration: No more than 60 days
• Period: January 24 to March 27, 2026
• Responsibility: The contractor, Italian-Thai Development (ITD), must cover repair costs and the hiring of independent experts.

Public urged to plan journeys

The Department of Highways apologised for the inconvenience and urged motorists to plan journeys in advance or use alternative routes where possible.

For route information or incident reports, call the Department of Highways hotline 1586 (toll-free, 24 hours).