Thailand finally announced to officially withdraw from the bid to host the 2020 World Expo in Ayutthaya. The information did not come as a surprise to most observers of Thai politics.
BANGKOK- It was hardly a secret. But from the first day of the bid announcement back to August 2010, it was very doubtful that Thailand could have host such a massive event. The Bangkok Post reported on June 12 that the BIE (Bureau of International Expositions) rejected unanimously Thailand’s bid last Tuesday as the Thai government did not give assurance of any financial support to the event.
The project was first initiated by the former government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. After a contest between Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya and Ayutthaya, the latter was finally chosen due to its close proximity to Bangkok and its own historical interest. The massive event would have requested an investment estimated between THB 40 and 50 billion (US$ 1.3 and 1.6 billion) with the total number of visitors expected to reach 37 million. Among the infrastructure planned for the World Expo was construction of a high speed link with Bangkok (70 km away) as well as the development of a tollway.
Meanhile, the massive amount of money had visibly the effect of a cold shower for the Government. After a team of BIE Experts visited Ayutthaya future site, they asked for more questions about the financing of the project. Deadline to answer was on April 5 but the government did not answer back. Ayutthaya was then automatically disqualified to present its bid at BIE meeting in Paris.
Was it a deliberated move from the current government to water down the project. Probably to avoid a massive embarrassment in the future. Over the last years, Thailand has always struggled to complete on time any of its proposed infrastructure projects.
The list of all delayed projects – by over a decade for many of them- is long enough. It goes from Suvarnabhumi Airpot to Chiang Mai International Convention Centre, to the Underground system to the Futsal Stadium in Bangkok. Even if the Kingdom’s candidacy for the World Expo 2020 had been accepted, anyone could then have doubt the capacity of the country to achieve on time the necessary infrastructure to host the event. By ignoring the project today, the Thai government probably avoided a humiliating defeat tomorrow.
Bye Bye to the World Expo 2020 for the sake of the country’s image!
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
