If you drive between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, or head up to Khao Yai at weekends, two changes on the new M6 motorway are worth knowing about. The Department of Highways (DOH) has opened new access points near the Korat end of the route, and it plans to close one exit at the Bangkok end while it builds a link to the M9 outer ring road.
New access at Sikhio and Kham Thale So
From 12:00 on 2 November 2026, the DOH has changed the traffic layout at two toll points on the M6. At Sikhio, the entry and exit point has moved to kilometre 6+000 of Highway 201, from kilometre 5+500 before. At Kham Thale So, cars can now drive straight along the main carriageway into the M6, rather than using the side diversion that drivers have had until now.
The DOH asks drivers to use only the two right-hand lanes, which are the M-Flow lanes, when passing these points. Watch for warning and direction signs, follow the traffic signals and do what staff on site tell you.
Planned closure of the M6 exit to the western M9
At the Bangkok end, the DOH plans to close the exit from the M6 to the western M9, towards Bang Bua Thong, at the Bang Pa-in 2 interchange. The closure is planned to start on 6 November 2026, and the DOH says it will confirm the start date and time again before it goes ahead. The work is to build the connection and access points for the new M9 section between Lat Lum Kaeo and Bang Pa-in, and the DOH expects it to be finished by 31 March 2027.
During the work, traffic on the M9 main line will be moved onto the frontage roads, Highways 3901 and 3902, which have already been widened to three lanes in each direction.
Your alternative routes
If you are coming from Nakhon Ratchasima on the M6 and want the western M9 towards Bang Bua Thong, you will not be able to use the direct exit at Bang Pa-in 2. Instead, leave the M6 for Highway 1 (Phahonyothin Road) or for the eastern M9, and carry on from there.
Travelling the other way is not affected. From the western M9 at Bang Bua Thong, you can still join the M6 towards Nakhon Ratchasima as normal. From Highway 1, you can still join the M6 at the on-ramp by Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University. The DOH says it has put up warning and direction signs, signals and safety equipment, and has staff watching traffic in the area 24 hours a day.
About the M9 project
The M9 section between Lat Lum Kaeo and Bang Pa-in, on the western side of Bangkok's outer ring road, is about 22.8 kilometres long and runs through Pathum Thani and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya provinces. The civil works are split into nine contracts with a total budget of 9,800 million baht.
Before you set off
Plans and timings can change, so check for the DOH's confirmation of the Bang Pa-in 2 closure before you travel after 6 November. The DOH hotline is 1586, free and open 24 hours a day; for the M6, press 6.