Reform panel wants NBTC to be independent

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REFORM
Reform panel wants NBTC to be independent
Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The spectrum-licensing body must be an independent body with a single board of up to seven members, according to the preliminary conclusion of the state subcommittee tasked with reforming the broadcasting and telecom industries.

Pana Thongmee-akom, chairman of the subcommittee, said the 11-member National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) should have only one board with five to seven members, instead of the existing broadcasting and telecom committees - each with five members.

The subcommittee also believes that the method of selecting NBTC members should be revised.

According to the existing frequency allocation law, the selection process for NBTC members involved two lists - one with 22 names submitted by qualified organisations and the other with 22 names proposed by a state panel. The Senate will then appoint 11 members.

Pana said that one condition in the selection process that should be terminated centred on the requirement that NBTC candidates must not be employees or shareholders of private broadcasters and telecom operators one year prior to them being proposed.

The Pana panel is part of the mass communications committee of the junta-appointed National Reform Council. The panel will finalise its opinions on the NBTC issue and send them to be considered by the mass communications committee.

The government is drafting several bills to promote the digital economy. One is the new NBTC Bill, which requires the watchdog to develop policies in line with the policies of the planned Digital Economy Committee.

The Bill also requires the merger of the NBTC's telecom and broadcasting committees into one single committee.

Information and Communications Technology Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa said the government would wait to listen to the media reform committee's opinions on the new NBTC Bill before further vetting it.

The ministry is expected to forward the bill formulating the Digital Economy Committee and a number of related bills to the National Legislative Assembly in April.

The Digital Economy Committee will also oversee the broadcasting and telecom research and development fund, which will be transferred to it by the NBTC.

The bill amending the Computer Crime Act is expected to be the last one forwarded to the NLA. As the bill has been heavily criticised by the public amid the perception it will give too much power to the government, the government will allow more time to listen to public opinions, said Pornchai.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Reform-panel-wants-NBTC-to-be-independent-30255108.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-02