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Having lost credibility after the Cabinet suspended its bus leasing proposal pending further study, the Bhum Jai Thai Party is erecting billboards with the message, “4,000 air-conditioned buses, 12 baht per ride, Bt30 per day, Bt800 per month, students pay Bt600 per month.’’

Bhum Jai Thai Party spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said the billboards would be installed at Victory Monument, Pratu Nam, Soi Rangnam, Urupong intersection, starting at 11 am on Tuesday.

Transport Minister Sophon Saram said the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority paid for the billboard and if the Bhum Jai Thai Party approved, he would put the advertising campaign on television.

He said he instructed the Finance Ministry permanent secretary to submit detail of the bus-leasing proposal to the National Economic and Social Development Office for scrutiny. The NESDB, having been assigned by the Cabinet to conduct a one-month comparative study whether to buy or lease the NGV buses, had ordered the Transport Ministry to submit detail of the bus leasing scheme within 10 days.

Sopon said he would not slash the price tag for the leasing of 4,000 buses any further than Bt64 billion.

He had earlier dropped the price from Bt67 billion to 64 billion, drawing heavy attacks from his critics that the scheme is marred with irregularities.