Govt 'not keen' on World Expo bid

He said there had been signs since January this year that the government was ignoring this project. During a visit of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) enquiry mission team to Ayutthaya to check the country’s readiness, the government had expressed an ‘‘ignorance’’ about the bidding to them. The team met Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and also Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi and Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul.

‘‘After they met the prime minister, the BIE officials said she did not say anything about the project. Neither did the two [ministers],’’ he said.

Following their return, the BIE sent two letters to the government to ask about its commitment to the bidding, but there was no response from the Thai side. Then, it sent a third letter to inform the government that it had removed Thailand from the candidate list, Kriengkrai revealed.

Currently, four candidates are in contention – Brazil, Dubai, Russia and Turkey.

Kriengkrai said it is sad that Thailand had missed a big opportunity to show off its potential on the global stage. There are also doubts raised by the private sector about the government’s thinking and why it has ruined this opportunity unreasonably.

The Thailand Convention Exhibition Bureau played a supporting role in this bidding and spent Bt400 million on preparations.

 

Brainstorming 

‘‘We [the company] invited professionals from different fields such as academic, creative and advertising to brainstorm and find out ideas, without paying them. They were willing to do so,’’ he said.

Also, A Com from the US, an event organiser of the Olympic Games, was hired to study the feasibility of the project. He said his company had a role in helping coordinate them since the beginning. 

Initially, the study found an investment of Bt30 billion was required for infrastructure such as transport, public utility and buying land near Bangsai Arts and Craft Center. The total land to be used was projected at 1,500 rai.