Launched just over a year ago, Thailand’s M-Flow or barrier-free toll system is now serving more than 110,000 vehicles each day. Although praised for easing traffic flows, it has also been a boon for cheaters, who have sought to exploit the system’s automated license plate recognition and post-pay service.
The issue made headlines again this week when police arrested the driver of a luxury BMW sedan and accused her of evading M-Flow tollgate charges around 260 times.
The BMW owner, 35, has been charged with using fake license plates. If convicted, she faces up to five years in jail and a maximum fine of 10,000 baht. She must also pay the evaded toll fees as well as a hefty fine. Those who fail to pay M-Flow fees by the deadline are penalized with a bill for 10 times the amount of their fees. Collection fees are also added to repayments of long overdue fees.
Some cheaters don’t go to the trouble of disguising their vehicles, instead driving through the M-Flow system with genuine license plates but still not paying the fee.
In one notable example, a 36-year-old man drove his pickup through M-Flow gates 360 times without paying a single baht. The suspect ran up pending toll fees totaling 10,800 baht plus a fine of 108,000 baht. The Highways Department subsequently lodged a complaint with police, who arrested the man on Wednesday.
Authorities say they use an alert system to catch vehicles abusing M-Flow gates and are actively nailing the culprits.
M-Flow flaws
Designed to ease traffic congestion on tollways, and especially around gates, the M-Flow or multi-lane free-flow toll system dispenses with barriers to ensure motorists do not need to slow down as they pass through. Its automatic license recognition technology can read plates accurately at a speed of up to 120 kilometers per hour no matter what the weather conditions.
Traffic flow through M-Flow tollgates is thought to be five times faster than through traditional tollgates manned by fee collectors. M-Flow also promises to ease a common problem on the prepaid M-Pass and Easy-Pass lanes – vehicles blocking traffic by trying to switch lanes after entering the wrong one.
M-Flow has deployed several technologies to ensure seamless use by both Thai and foreign drivers. Apart from automatic license plate recognition, its video-tolling system uses automatic vehicle classification, radio-frequency identification (RFID) controllers, and lane controllers. Motorists do not need to install anything in their vehicles to use M-Flow.
The system is currently operating on Motorway No. 9 from Bangkok to Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-in. M-Flow lanes are now available at the Thanyaburi 1, Thanyaburi 2, Thap Chang 1 and Thap Chang 2 tollgates on this intercity motorway.
While the technology is operating well, M-Flow is not without flaws. Unscrupulous users have been able to take advantage of loopholes in the system, as shown by the aforementioned examples.
Other cheaters have used counterfeit license plates, causing trouble for the owners of the real plates.
M-Flow’s website offers motorists channels where they can lodge complaints over disputed invoices and also seek help with other problems.
How to use M-Flow legitimately
M-Flow can be used by both members and non-members. Drivers can register for the system by presenting their national ID card as well as evidence of vehicle registration. Applications can be made via mflowthai.com, the MFlowThai application, the Highways Department (Rama VI area), and other channels. Members get an account through which they receive invoices and arrange payment.
Non-members can use M-Flow services but they must remember to pay tolls within two days of use. Failure to do so will result in a hefty fine and more. They can check their pending tolls at mflowthai.com.
By Thai PBS World’
