The Office of the Ombudsman is urging people who have details of irregular spending on the 39-million-baht "Bangkok Light of Happiness" New Year illumination event to come forward and make complaints.
Organised by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the illuminations start today and run until Jan 30 at Lan Khon Muang, the square in front of City Hall's offices on Din So Road. Financial irregularity checks will be made to ensure transparency, Office of the Ombudsman secretary-general, Raksakecha Chaechay, said yesterday. The light show has been dismissed by many as a waste of money. Critics, mostly netizens said the money would be better spent on CCTV cameras and improved lighting in crime-prone areas to protect the public and properties. Pranee Sattayaprakob, head of the BMA's Culture,Sport and Tourism Department, admitted yesterday that Ombudsman officials had run a check on the bidding process for the project.