Highway Police arrested a Cambodian driver who failed to pay over 70,000 baht in accrued toll charges as he drove through a toll gate in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district early on Monday.
The driver, named as Term Nuo, was arrested by Highway Police officers led by acting chief Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew at 1.30am on Monday.
The barrier-free M-Flow channels were introduced last year on some gates along Motorway 9 between Bang Pa-in and Bang Phli in an effort to improve the flow of traffic on the highway.
Motorists who do not have an M-Flow account can use the channel, but they must pay the outstanding charges within two days of passing through the channel. Those who fail to pay in time must pay a fine equal to ten times the charge incurred.
The Toyota pickup truck Term Nuo was driving was among the top-20 offenders on the police's database, having gone through the M-Flow channels 266 times without paying. In total, Term Nuo racked up 71,580 baht in unpaid toll charges.
Term Nuo said was hired to deliver goods from Simummuang market in Pathum Thani to Chon Buri. He drove through the M-Flow channels because traffic was much lighter compared to other lanes.
He said he did not receive a notice to pay them.