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Published on March 24, 2008

The billboards and banners are everywhere, especially along the roads that are the favourite locations of property development companies.

Take Chalermphrakiat Road, for instance. Every 3 metres there is a billboard or a banner. Some are attached to the light posts, others are erected high above the ground. This is not strange given that there are more than 20 development projects on the road.

Sometimes, the banners or billboards obstruct the visibility of road signs. I thus have every reason to support the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's plan to raid illegal banners and billboards.

Chakraphan Pornnimit, adviser to the Bangkok Governor, said last week that throughout Bangkok there are 299 illegal billboards, and the "demolition" of 275 is underway.

What shocked me is that the BMA plans to spend Bt73 million on the demolition of the illegal billboards. Though Chakraphan said the BMA would file criminal and civil lawsuits against the advertisers, I doubt if it would be worthwhile.

According to the adviser, the advertisers are liable to no more than 3 months imprisonment and no more than Bt60,000 in penalties plus no more than Bt10,000 as daily fines.

Those who defy the orders to have their billboards demolished will be fined no more than Bt100,000 and subject to daily fines of Bt30,000, plus six months in jail.

Let's do the simple calculation: in the absence of defiance, the 299 billboards could earn the BMA no more than Bt17.9 million. The daily fines would add on to that amount. But how would that be calculated? Based on the number of days that they have appeared? Then, who would count the days?

We should pray that those advertisers defy the BMA's orders. Then, the BMA could earn Bt29.9 million, excluding the extra daily fines. How could the BMA charge enough money to cover the expenses?

If there is proof that those defiant advertisers put up the banners or billboards for 100 days, the BMA could earn another Bt30 million. That would need a troupe of witnesses.

OK, I'm ready to be the witness. From today, I will start counting the billboards on the way to the office and to home. I'm ready to take photos as evidence. The problem is I don't know if I will be called to be the witness. I don't mind if I could have a cut in the revenue the BMA is collecting from this. What bothers me more is whether the BMA will recover all their expenses, including the legal advisory fee? Would changing the laws to raise the penalties be an easier way to prevent the illegal actions?

Achara Deboonme

achara_d@nationgroup.com

The Nation