Political rally impacts expressway operating income

BANGKOK, 25 April 2010 (NNT) – Political demonstration impacts the number of vehicles using the services of the Bangkok Expressway PLC (BECL) decreased by 50 thousand cars a day, with collected revenue reduced by a million THB a day, says BECL Managing Director.

BECL Managing Director Payao Marittanaporn admitted that the company got an impact from the political rally which resulted in a decreased number of vehicles and revenue earned from the expressway services in particular at the Yommarat toll gate and others gates inside the city, from a million persons using the service with an income earned about 20 million THB per day. She was still confident that during the school-semester the number of customers would turn to normal.

With the shift of governmental center to Chaengwattana since last year end, the number of new expressway users tends to increase to 80 thousand people a day and the company turnover will not be affected. In 2010, the income is expected to rise by 2.5% or about 180 million THB from the profit obtained in 2009 of 1.702 billion THB.

Concerning the EASY PASS machines, she said the setting up process was completed and it was on trial. She said by this June the EASY PASS would open its services and the automatic toll fee collection would replace the existing cash system in the future for better operation.