City Hall is stringently regulating the use of election campaign posters that have been put up across the capital as a prelude to the March 24 general election, ordering its staff to inspect all posters and remove any that are in breach of election law.
At a meeting on Tuesday of executives from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, governor Aswin Kwanmuang assigned them to stress to all district office chiefs that they must have their municipal and public works officials regularly check on campaign posters in their areas.
They were ordered to pay special attention to any posters that could obstruct pedestrians.
Election candidates who put up posters found to be in violation of the law will be given a set time to redress the issue or the posters will be removed and the owners charged to cover the removal expense.
"Each campaign poster in each district requires approval from the district office to ensure it is neat and clean, and every candidate is treated equally," said the governor.
Bangkok has 30 constituencies, while the standard size of election campaign posters is 130 centimetres wide and 245cm high. They must be put up in such a way that the vision of pedestrians and motorists is not obstructed, no damage is done to public or private property, and traffic is not disrupted.
The BMA has allowed political parties access to public parks, an open plaza and sports grounds for poll campaigning.
Most public parks are on the Phra Nakhon side while the others are on the Thon Buri side of Bangkok.
The plaza is located on the grounds of Lan Khon Muang in Phra Nakhon district.
The parks include Chatuchak, Queen Sirikit Park and Wachirabenchathat Park, all in Chatuchak district; Lumpini in Pathumwan and Benchasiri in Klong Toey.
