Senior Politician Urges PM to Dissolve and Rebuild NBTC
A senior Thai senator called on the prime minister to dissolve and rebuild the entire NBTC board due to procedural irregularities in the selection of its chairman, warning that the dispute will paralyze the telecommunications regulator with
On August 6, 2025, at Parliament, Senator Premsak Piayurun commented on a qualification dispute regarding Sopon Bunjaipreuk, chairman of Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). The selection committee ruled that Bunjaipreuk lacks certain qualifications, but Premsak contended the decision may be unlawful because individuals not part of the original committee—including newly appointed Bank of Thailand governor Withai Ruttanakorn—participated in the vote. Supreme Court representative Kiartpong Amatayakul is believed to be over 70, making him ineligible to vote or hold office on the NBTC, raising questions about procedural fairness.
Premsak stated that the conflict will persist as long as the selection committee maintains its authority, placing responsibility on Prime Minister Anutin to decide the next step. Anutin has previously indicated he would refer the matter to the Senate for consideration. Premsak urged the PM to expedite Senate review and prevent a potential bypass of parliamentary procedures to seek royal approval directly.
Premsak proposed a bold solution: dissolve all seven NBTC members and conduct a complete new selection process to benefit the public. He acknowledged the NBTC faces longstanding allegations of corruption but argued that with the PM's legal authority and political will, reorganization is feasible. Premsak noted the current board has approximately one year remaining in its term and emphasized that the country has wasted enough time on the organization's dysfunction. Without decisive action, he warned, future decisions will continue to lack quorum, squandering national opportunities.
