Filmmakers yesterday threatened to take legal action against the Culture Ministry for allegedly favouring certain groups of producers when dispensing taxpayers' money.
Manit Sriwanichpoom, a filmaker, said he thought the ministry's Bt100 million funding of the "Legend of King Naresuan 3" and Bt8 million funding for the "Legend of King Naresuan 4" - out of the Bt200 million budget the ministry received from the Thai Khemkaeng economic stimulus scheme - was unfair.
He said he didn't know what criteria the ministry used so he wanted the ministry to clarify how funds were allotted, what was the origin of the Bt100 million that the ministry poured into this one film and why other filmmakers were sponsored much differently.
The funds should have been distributed to the 300 applicants rather than only 49 filmmakers, he said.
If the ministry couldn't provide any answers, he and other unhappy filmmakers would petition the Administrative Court and National Anti-Corruption Commission to probe this case because it was viewed as an inappropriate use of tax money to benefit only specific groups of people.
Culture Minister Theera Salakpetch insisted the funding process was transparent but said a misunderstanding arose due to the delay of the notification of funding results to all parties and the lack of an explanation of the funding decisions to filmmakers.
The Bt100 million was given to the film on condition that it would yield a return to the ministry for use to develop the film industry, he said.
Permanent Secretary Apinan Posayanond was assigned to hold a meeting with the protesting filmmakers on May 3 at 1pm at the ministry to clear up the situation, he said.