However, much of the trouble - attributed to incompetence, poor organisation and probably corruption on the part of the deposed Thaksin administration - has not distracted public attention from the true significance of the joyous occasion and the underlying purpose to showcase Thailand's potential as a horticultural producer to the world.

But the pride a host country is supposed to take for its ability to organise such an international event has been diminished. Once again Thailand is embarrassing itself in the eyes of the international community. Obviously the endorsement and support of the International Association of Horticulture Producers (AIPH) for Thailand to host the event had been misplaced. By the time the Surayud government, which came to power after the coup in September, took over as host of the international exposition, it was already too late to reverse the damage done or to avoid a chaotic situation.

The most glaring thing was the lack of transparency in the way the Thaksin administration, in collusion with some government officials, handled the contracting of a private company to organise the exhibition. Kasetsart University was engaged by the Agriculture Department to screen and select a contractor capable of meeting the requirements and standards set by the AIPH.

It was later found that the university's vetting team had allowed a representative of Nong Nooch Landscape and Gardening Design, or Suan Nong Nooch for short, to sit in on a meeting to draft the bidding terms of reference for the project. Eventually Suan Nong Nooch won the contract with the lowest bid.

Furthermore, the university, which was supposed to inspect the quality of Suan Nong Nooch's work itself, later contracted out the job to a company which had connections with the contracted organiser. The Office of the Auditor-General is investigating the alleged corruption involving the Department of Agriculture and the Kasetsart University team assigned the task of engaging the contractor.

In the last-minute scramble to meet the deadline, the Surayud government had to inject additional funds into the project, thereby causing the cost, originally estimated at Bt2.3 billion, to rise to about Bt3 billion. The international exhibition continues to be plagued by a plethora of problems. These obstacles make it much less pleasant than it should be to visit the 470-rai site in Chiang Mai, where 2,200 species of tropical plants and flowers, numbering a total of some 2.5 million plants, are on display. Logistical chaos continues because of a shortage of basic facilities such as restaurants, food and drink stalls, waiting areas and toilets. The existing facilities cannot handle the large crowds, which average 20,000 to 30,000 on weekdays. The situation gets much worse at the weekends, when the number of visitors goes up.

This does not mean there is little to be admired or marvelled at. Thirty-three countries are participating in the expo to highlight their botanical uniqueness, share horticultural techniques and demonstrate landscaping expertise.

The Orchid Pavilion has put on a display of 50,000 different orchids from around the world, including almost 10,000 indigenous species from Thailand, which is one of the world's major cultivators of, and traders in, orchids. Not to be missed is the Thai Tropical Garden, which showcases the wealth of the country's biodiversity.

The exhibition seems to have something for everyone. Tourists and Thais alike, keen on being photographed against a backdrop of magnificently created gardens, will have plenty of opportunity to do so. But amateur botanists would learn much more about plants, herbs and flowers if the display signage and labelling of the exhibits is improved and exhibition areas are manned by more knowledgeable staff.

The expo has been given a lot of media coverage, and constructive comments and feedback has been provided about what needs to be done to make a visit both pleasurable and educational - as was intended. It is still not too late to get things right.