Experts disappointed over NBTC draft law

Telecom scholar Anupab Tiralap said yesterday the draft law provided an opportunity for a limited number of groups only to send their representatives to become members of the new National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

He made the comment at a seminar hosted by the National Economic and Social Advisory Committee to examine the draft law and its possible effect on the public sector. Observers had hoped  the NBTC would be a strongly independent and neutral body, given that it will regulate the telecommunications and broadcasting industries where vested interests are rife.

The Cabinet of the Samak Sundaravej government endorsed the draft law on Tuesday and the draft will be forwarded to the Parliament next week. The new regulatory body will consist of 10 members from broadcasting, telecom, law and economics fields.

Seven of the relevant media and telecom organisations will be invited to nominate names for a list of a combined 20 representatives to the Information and Communications Technology Ministry. The ministry will pick 10 of them and send the list to be approved by the Cabinet.

Torpong Selanond, member of the Media Reform Committee, asked if it was appropriate for the independent body to be appointed by the Cabinet.

Legal department director of the Council of State, Kittisak Julsamruan believed that some details of the draft law might be revised during the debate in Parliament.