Six commissioners of Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission met without chairman Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck on Friday. They pledged to clear an accumulated regulatory backlog within 30 days.
It was the board’s first formal gathering since July. Twelve previous attempts had collapsed without a quorum because commissioners boycotted proceedings over the chairman’s disputed legal standing.
Twice-weekly schedule to tackle stalled files
Five commissioners attended the Friday session in person, while one joined by videoconference. Rather than voting on specific policy measures, the group established an operating schedule to process pending industry cases. Members agreed to meet twice a week throughout October. They targeted Wednesdays and Thursdays to work through accumulated files.
Board members appointed Suphat Suphachalasai to preside over Friday’s meeting. For future sessions, they plan to select a presiding officer meeting by meeting. The members scheduled their next two gatherings for Oct. 6 and Oct. 8.
Legal dispute surrounding the board chairmanship
Dr Sarana, a cardiologist, has contested his removal since July. That was when an NBTC selection panel determined he lacked the qualifications to serve. An investigation concluded he continued to receive compensation for external medical work after joining the regulatory agency. That violated statutory prohibitions against commissioners holding outside paid employment or engaging in conflicting commercial activities. The commission’s chairmanship pays 450,000 baht a month in salary and official allowances.
Citing a Central Administrative Court ruling, the selection panel ordered Dr Sarana to cease performing official functions within seven days of receipt. The panel transmitted that directive to the regulator’s offices on Sept. 30.
Enforcement risks for commercial operators
Sarana rejected the validity of separate board sittings. He argued that regulatory meetings must strictly adhere to administrative rules so subsequent rulings remain legally enforceable. An NBTC official speaking on condition of anonymity warned that resolutions approved without the official chairman could face challenges in administrative courts, given that Dr Sarana still claims statutory authority to convene formal meetings.
For mobile network operators, broadband providers and digital media groups in Thailand, split leadership at the regulator prolongs uncertainty over licensing approvals, spectrum allocation and merger compliance monitoring. Corporate compliance officers must now balance the risk of implementing decisions that opposing factions may challenge in court.
Administrative pressure on internal staff
Commissioner Pirongrong Ramasoota defended the board’s independent action, stating that the regulator operates on collegial authority where royal appointment grants all six members equal legal weight. Meeting minutes from Friday’s session will head directly to the NBTC administrative office for execution.
Pirongrong said: Everyone has equal rights under the law. She added that agency personnel who refuse or fail to carry out administrative instructions under the governing statute could face disciplinary or legal penalties.
Agency staff must now decide whether to execute the resolutions submitted from the Oct. 6 and Oct. 8 sessions while Dr Sarana’s seven-day response window under the Sept. 30 panel directive elapses.