Panel put on NBTC rejection clip hunt

NLA has month to find those behind audio

A five-member panel has been set up to look into a leaked audio clip widely speculated to have been the reason why the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) rejected the list of broadcast and telecom regulator candidates.

NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said the panel has 30 days to complete the probe that will determine the clip’s origin and verify its authenticity.

“It would be great if the person in the clip could be identified, so we could consider if any offence has been committed. If the clip is genuine, who recorded it?” he asked.

The clip was leaked after the NLA voted last week to reject all 14 shortlisted candidates for the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

A man in the clip indicated the prime minister was not happy with the list of names, raising suspicions that the clip may have been the reason behind the NLA’s decision to shoot down the NBTC candidates.

Mr Pornpetch insisted none of the committee members was the person on the clip as some have observed, but said a new committee could be appointed.

The inquiry is being headed by NLA member Pol Gen Chatchawal Suksomjit and includes NLA member Suchart Trakulkasemsuk and three parliamentary officials.

Asked about the possibility of the audio clip having been doctored, as suggested by NLA member Somchai Swangkarn, Mr Pornpetch said legal action would be taken if it turns out to be a fabrication.

He guaranteed it was not recorded at any of the NLA whip meetings and said it sounded like a casual conversation.

The NLA president said there was no need to ask Prime Minister Prayut Chano-cha about the leaked audio because the premier has already denied having anything to do with the NLA vote.

The prime minister was not the focus of the inquiry, he said, adding it would be made easier if the media were able to provide any helpful information.

Another inquiry will be launched into media reports about the selection of the Ombudsman, which was also rejected by the NLA, as the information leaked to the media was confidential, he said.

Mr Pornpetch urged NLA members and officials to be careful when conducting meetings.

He rejected criticism that the NLA voted to keep the regime happy after it shot down shortlisted candidates for three public independent bodies, saying the assembly was not following any orders from the regime.

The NLA voted 118 to 25, with 20 abstentions, to reject the entire list of NBTC candidates after at least eight of the 14 finalists were deemed by the NLA to be unqualified.

They failed to meet the requirements laid out under Section 7 of the NBTC law, which bars current and former board members, executives or employees of a telecom business from being selected for the NBTC board.

The NLA also vetoed a list containing only one candidate proposed for the role of national Ombudsman.

In February it rejected seven candidates for the Election Commission.