Don Mueang Tollway
Uttaraphimuk Elevated Tollway (colloquially Don Mueang Tollway, or Tollway is an elevated tollway in Bangkok, Thailand. The tollway is planned to become part of Motorway No. 5, which connects Bang Pa-in to Mae Sai and Chiang Khong.[1] ServiceDon Mueang Tollway Public Company Limited (the Company) is the provider of tollway transport service for the section of Din Daeng District - Anusornsathan. The tollway offers an alternative to Vibhavadi Rangsit Road (at-grade road). It is the main road heading for the Upper Central Region, Northern Region, and Northeastern Region, with a total length of 21.9 km. The tollway service is operated under Tollway Concession Agreement in respect of Highway No. 31, Viphavadi - Rangsit Road, Din Daeng - Don Mueang Section. The agreement is between the Department of Highways and the Company, to provide services until September 11, 2034. The concession is a Build-Transfer-Operate system (BTO). The Company designed and built the tollway with its own funds, and was awarded the concession to manage the tollway, including toll collection, traffic management, and rescue work, while the owner of the property is the Department of Highways. The Department of Highways specified the toll rates and the timeframe for toll rate adjustment in the concession agreement.[2] Contrast with government projectsPrivate sector operations differ from those of state enterprises or government agencies in transport project investment. The government has mechanisms to finance transport projects without financial costs, generally by setting budgets acquired from tax collection or, if necessary, from other financial sources, with special arrangements on interest rates and loan repayment periods. No concession periods are set for government projects; they can be operated indefinitely. The government is free to determine whether toll collection is required. A mechanism determines toll rates.[3][4] As a private sector firm, the Company operates projects during a concession period. The Company can manage projects and earn revenues during the concession period only. References
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