EXAT is a state enterprise under the Ministry of Transport which was established in 1972 in accordance with the Announcement of the Revolutionary Council No. 290 dated November 27, 1972 and subsequently amended and announced to enforce the Expressway Authority of Thailand Act, BE 2550 (2007) on January 9, 2008. EXAT now has the authority to conduct its business within the scope following objectives:

1. To construct or provide the Expressways in any mean necessary as well as to maintain the Expressways.
2. To operate or conduct a business on Expressways and other businesses related to Expressways beneficial to EXAT.

     The definition of “Expressway” according to the law means the way or road that is built or transferred or received whether at ground level, above, or below the ground or water surface to facilitate special traffic and this includes tunnel bridges, boat for ferry transportation, port for land entry, parking, dirtway, pavement, dam, pipe or drain, wall, fence, mileage, traffic signal, traffic sign, building or anything else arranged in the way to facilitate or secure the Expressway operations.

Chronological Background

     - In 1966, the government appointed a committee to investigate the problem and plan the land traffic.

     - In 1969, the board of committee on issues survey and resolution and land traffic planning proposed the ideas to the government requesting the National Economic and Social Development Council (Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board) to coordinate for assistance from the Federal Republic of Germany to send experts to survey, examine and create a master plan for traffic management in Bangkok.

     - In 1970, the Ministry of National Development (at that time) proposed through the Cabinet requesting to consider appointing a preparing committee to establish the Toll Collecting Agency. The Ministry of Interior handled the project.

     - September 21, 1971, the Cabinet approved the committee appointment for the establishment of toll collecting agency, with Mr. Tawil Sunthornsarntoon as the Chairman.

     - October 20, 1971, the board of committee prepared to establish the toll collecting agency. The board appointed subcommittee to draft a legislation on toll collecting agency and the subcommittee for the formation of the toll collecting agency.

     - January 17 - February 5, 1972, the Ministry of Interior sent four staffs for a field trip in Japan and Korea to examine the details of legal drafting and formation of toll collecting agency.

     - November 27, 1972, the legislative subcommittee drafted an Expressway Authority of Thailand Act (EXAT) to seek approval from the board of committee prepared to establish the toll collecting agency and the Council of State as the running government at that time was the Revolutionary Council. The Council of State drafted the amendment from the Act and adopted as a law according to the Announcement of the Revolutionary Council No. 290, dated November 27, 1972.

     - In 1972, according to the Announcement of the Revolutionary Council No. 290, dated November 27, 1972, EXAT became a state enterprise, under the Ministry of Interior. Therefore, every year on November 27, it is the founding day for EXAT. As of November 27, 2002, it was the 30^th anniversary of its establishment.

     - In 2002, the Government of Thailand set up a government reform policy and enacted two royal decrees namely:

1. The royal decree on the transfer of administrative affairs and authority of government agencies in compliance with the Act on Amending Ministry, Sub-Ministry and Department BE 2545.

2. The royal decree amending the provisions to comply with the transfer of authority of agencies under the Ministry of Interior and the transfer of administrative affairs and authority of Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) to the Ministry of Transport since its publication in the Royal Gazette on October 6, 2002.