NBTC sec-gen resignation postponed due to ‘three pending missions’

NBTC sec-gen resignation postponed due to ‘three pending missions’

By THE NATION

General Sukit Khamasunthorn

National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) secretary-general Thakorn Tanthasit’s resignation is to be postponed and take effect on July 1 due to the Covid-19 crisis, board president General Sukit Khamasunthorn said.

“The secretary-general had submitted his resignation effective from May 18,” said Sukit. “However, due to the Covid-19 situation that prompted the NBTC to implement telecommunications-related measures to help affected people, his resignation will have to be postponed to prevent interruption of NBTC’s operations.”

Sukit said the NBTC also has three pending missions that should be completed first before a new secretary-general is elected.

“The first mission is to compensate MCOT for the 2600 megahertz spectrum auctioned for a 5G licence. The amount is still being negotiated,” he said.

“The second mission is to get a new operator for the Thaicom 5 satellite after the contract with current operator Thaicom Plc expires in September. The last mission is to put the 3500 megahertz spectrum under auction, which still hasn’t begun,” Sukit said.

“The NBTC board therefore decided to postpone Thakorn’s resignation to take effect on July 1 instead of May 18 to allow enough time to make sure all these pending missions can be continued seamlessly by the new secretary-general,” he added.

Thakorn was responsible for spearheading the auction of telecom spectrum – from the 3G auction in 2012 till the latest 5G auction in February. The five auctions in a span of eight years have generated more than Bt490 billion of revenue for the state.

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30386820