Unanimous vote passes media bill

The amended National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) bill was passed into law yesterday, incorporating key changes to the commissioner line-up and selection process.

The National Legislative Assembly yesterday passed the bill with 197 unanimous votes.

The bill is expected to be published in the Royal Gazette and will take effect in May.

Under the amended NBTC law, there will be seven NBTC commissioners, reduced from the previously proposed 11, and they will be aged between 45 and 70. The maximum age before the amendment was 65.

The commissioners will be divided between two committees — one will regulate telecom affairs and the other will oversee broadcasting. The NBTC chairman will sit on both committees.

The law stipulates the commissioners cannot be selected from those who used to be political post holders; holders of positions in political parties; persons who served a prison term; occupants of positions in independent agencies; persons impeached by the Senate; or executives, advisers or shareholders of broadcasting or telecommunication businesses for less than a year prior to the commissioner selection process.

The commissioners will be selected from seven sectors: telecommunications, radio broadcasting, television broadcasting, legal, economics, engineering and consumer protection.

The amendment will also affect the committee in charge of selecting the commissioners.

Previously, the committee was supposed to be made up of presidents of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the ombudsmen.

Now, the line-up will change to persons chosen by the independent agencies to sit on the selection panel.

The amended law also bars commissioners from holding shares or assuming positions in the broadcasting or telecom business within two years of relinquishing their posts in the NBTC.

Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the NBTC, said the new organisational structure of the NBTC will sent to the NBTC board for approval next week.