The new board at Thailand’s telecom regulator NBTC has officially been appointed
- April 14, 2022
- Posted by: Allan Rasmussen
- Categories: News, Thai Telecom
New NBTC board and chair officially appointed
The new Chair and five board members of Thailand’s telecom and broadcasting regulator, The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has (finally) been officially appointed, effective from April 13, 2022.
After several delays during 2021, on picking seven new board members for the NBTC, the Senate approved five new members back in December, 2021. Two board seats still needs to be filled – they are one for the Media Fund and one for Telecom.
The five officially approved and appointed members are:
- Dr. Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck, Consumer protection,
- Air Chief Marshal Thanapant Raicharoen, Broadcasting,
- Dr. Pirongrong Ramasoota, Television,
- Torpong Selanon, People’s liberty and rights,
- Dr. Suphat Suphachalasai, Economic field.
The group has elected Dr. Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck to be the new Chair of the NBTC.
Dr Sarana is a medical doctor who has close ties to Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister, General Prawit Wongsuwan, as he takes care of Gen Prawit’s health and cardiac system. He is also a former member of the now defunct military-installed National Legislative Assembly (NLA).
With five (out of seven), the new board is expected to finally start working – ending months of delays and a decision-making vacuum at the watchdog. High on the agenda is the proposed telecom merger between Thailand’s second and third largest telecom operators, TRUE and DTAC, as well as a range of other issues that has been kicked down the road – including an auction for the right to use satellite orbital slots.
