1 Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra is considering taking legal action against people who continue to issue information that damages City Hall's reputation.
2 The lawsuit threat comes in the wake of a campaign by ex-Democrat MP for Bangkok Wilas Chanpithak to expose alleged irregularities at City Hall under MR Sukhumbhand's tenure.
3 According to Bangkok deputy governor Amorn Kijchawengkul, MR Sukhumbhand has told the legal team to be prepared and a lawsuit is possible if allegations continue to surface. He was speaking as he, for a second time in less than a week, came out to defend the much-criticised one-month light exhibition in front of City Hall that cost about 39 million baht.
4 Mr Amorn said the light exhibition was funded by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's 300-million-baht central budget for the 2016 fiscal year where the spending is approved by the city governor.
5 He said the light show project was in compliance with Rule No.4 of the central fund spending which says the spending is in line with the governor's public policy.
6 The light exhibition was intended to be a New Year gift from City Hall in the hope the activity would boost the city's image following last year's deadly blast at the Erawan shrine.
7 He also rebutted criticism that the project was not money well spent, saying the event was expected to draw 400,000 visitors spending 100 baht each.
8 This would help boost the local economy and the economic value was overwhelming, he said.
9 The deputy governor also defended the bidding process, saying it was not rigged and the bid price was lower than the reference price. Moreover, the bid winner was subject to high risk as the project took place at short notice.
10 Nine companies expressed interest and applied for terms of reference (ToR) but only two took part in the bidding, he said, noting several withdrew because of the tight time frame. The bidding process was completed on Dec 17 with the light event required to be ready for the public on Dec 30.
11 "It doesn't matter if the winner had experience in a light show event. When a company wants in, it has to honour the contract or face a fine and be banned from taking part in future projects. The City Hall can't choose who can bid," he said.
12 He was referring to criticism that Curio Tour and Travel Co, the bid winner, was a newcomer to the light exhibition business. The company was in the tourism business until last September when it approached the Commerce Ministry seeking to expand its business to supplying light displays and musical instruments.