Senator Demands Progress on ThaiPBS Corruption Probe
Senator Prem Sakdipiyayura is pressing ThaiPBS for updates on a corruption investigation after the State Audit Office found procurement irregularities and ordered the recovery of over 85 million baht in damages. Despite a joint call from six media groups for reform over a month ago, Prem says no visible progress has been made. He demands transparency on disciplinary actions and reform timelines, noting the Policy Committee has 120 days and the director 240 days to complete the process.
Senator Prem Sakdipiyayura asks how much longer ThaiPBS will take to finish its internal corruption probe and why it has gone quiet after the State Audit Office demanded over 85 million baht in damages. On November 13, 2026, Prem, a senator, addressed the operations of the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (ThaiPBS). He noted that since six media professional organizations issued a joint statement on October 2 demanding ThaiPBS review its role and genuinely reform, more than a month has passed without any clear public movement on structural or administrative changes. This comes amid a proposal by House members to amend the 2008 ThaiPBS Act to shift its funding source — about 2 billion baht per year from excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco — to the annual budget allocation. Prem said ThaiPBS should demonstrate the value of public media worthy of taxpayer money and manage expenses frugally, particularly allegations around sole-source procurement, which must be urgently investigated and corrected under the 2017 Public Procurement Act, the 2018 State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act, and related regulations. "Organizational reform is like surgery — it must hurt, otherwise nothing changes and reform will fail," Prem said. Prem added that from news monitoring, he has seen no disclosure of progress on the State Audit Office's October 9, 2026 letter to the ThaiPBS Policy Committee, which ordered action on two key issues. First, take action against the director regarding the sole-source hiring of a private company to produce "News Deep Dive World" and "ThaiPBS Newsroom," which the audit found did not meet the condition of having only one qualified contractor and was not an urgent necessity. Also, payments to hosts, producers, and guests lacked governing regulations. Second, recover 85,222,935.65 baht in damages from fiscal years 2023-2025 expenditures. The State Audit Office also sent a letter to the ThaiPBS director ordering disciplinary action against three staff for the program procurement case, and one deputy director plus six staff for approving payments without regulations. However, determining individual liability and recovering damages must follow legal procedures. "Prem said, 'Since the State Audit Office letter of October 9, over a month has passed. I want to know if the Policy Committee and management have set up a fact-finding committee or started disciplinary proceedings, and how far they have progressed. Why is there still no clear public progress? Under the timeline, the Policy Committee must complete the process within 120 days, while the director has 240 days.'"
