NBTC Must Work With Absolute Transparency: Thai Opinion

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EDITORIAL

NBTC must work with absolute transparency

The Nation

Broadcasting commission will need integrity to stand its ground

BANGKOK: -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has got down to business. An announcement of an exciting plan to give digital TV licences to a hundred or so more operators in the next few years has been followed by a hearing on highly-technical, political and sensitive issues on Friday. The panel, whose unprecedented authority could drastically transform Thailand's broadcasting and telecom landscapes, will almost certainly go through one storm after another as stakeholders and new and old interest groups scramble to seek a head start, an upper-hand, as well as protection of the status quo.

Friday's forum provided glimpses of big headaches to come. What should be done with expiring concessions? Or what about spectra without expiry? How tough or lenient the NBTC should be regarding, for example, spectra in the hand of state agencies which are demanding more time to adjust their operations in the liberalisation era? How can the NBTC differentiate between "community radio" (which carries political undertones) and "community service radio"?

Most, if not all, issues threaten to generate political backlash. The NBTC, whose authority spans across the broadcasting and telecom landscapes, is practically having to deal with two formerly-separate sets of problems - each highly complicated on its own, with unique and powerful players. The broadcasting industry will see an explosion of the number of newcomers, whereas the old-guards will fight tooth and nail to maintain their interests. Politics, which has sent countless "nominees" to the broadcasting field, will only be more active in doing so.

There could be a lesser turmoil in the telecom industry, where investment will remain very costly and thus the current stakeholders will likely still prevail. However, the NBTC will be required to make big decisions that will affect the course of huge amounts of money. Until a few months ago, such authority was limited to politicians in power, who could counter criticism and scrutiny with their own propaganda machines.

On the one hand, the NBTC has become a new business god, one to be courted and worshipped by every interest group. On the other hand, the commissioners will be doing a thankless job with extremely high pressure.

The NBTC will have to work without a propaganda shield. Only absolute transparency, honesty and integrity will be the commissioners' protection. Groups who lose interests left and right will attack the commission. Politicians and big corporates will try to exert their influence. There will temptations. Every day the commissioners will have to balance pragmatism and idealism. The latter forms the very core of the NBTC's existence. It was the "ideal" that telecom and broadcasting frequencies are natural resources that must be shared among Thais that gave birth to the concept of liberalisation in the first place.

All of a sudden, a purportedly independent group of men and women is deciding which way billions of baht or hundreds of billions of baht of business money go. Some critics have begun to question the wisdom of giving such power to a group so small, apparently forgetting that a Cabinet isn't much bigger than the NBTC and more dominated by vested interests. Considering Thailand's political mess resulting largely from intertwined government and business links, the NBTC can hardly do a worse job.

This doesn't mean the NBTC can take advantage of the fact that politicians have failed to create fairness in the broadcasting and telecom playing fields. The idea of having an "independent commission" is often the last way out when chronic problems are concerned. If the last way out still doesn't work, there will be the risk of public sentiment reverting to support an older system.

The NBTC needs public support and understanding. A strong NBTC will serve the constitutional ideal and help bring about healthy liberalisation. If the commission becomes weak, a lot of bad things can happen, the likes of which we have, at least partly, learned first-hand.

-- The Nation 2012-02-13

[CalgaryII]

Some critics have begun to question the wisdom of giving such power to a group so small, apparently forgetting that a Cabinet isn't much bigger than the NBTC and more dominated by vested interests

Suggesting that the Cabinet and NBTC are the same, based on size, degrades "The People's Elected Representatives"

I'm not arguing that the Cabinet be involved at this micro level, just questioning the comparing of an unelected administrative agency with one representing the Nations electorate.

The vested interests are presumably those of the electorate.

This doesn't mean the NBTC can take advantage of the fact that politicians have failed to create fairness in the broadcasting and telecom playing fields.

What Politicians and when.

Two such swipes at Politicians in this article.

Such a generalized drive-by smear of all Politicians, suggests another agenda.

[givenall]

What does transparency in Thailand means anyway. Does it mean only talk about the good and hide the bad?

[Reasonableman]

It means you can't actually see it, you can only see through it. In other words, it is opaque, but with a nice view.

What does transparency in Thailand means anyway. Does it mean only talk about the good and hide the bad?

Edited February 13, 2012 by Reasonableman