Mun proposes see- through ministry

Speaking on the sidelines of the fourth-anniversary celebrations for the National Telecommunications Commission this week, he was also candid about his ministerial post.

When he assumed the post for the first time during the Samak Sundaravej government, Mun told the press he had meagre knowledge of ICT and did not want to be minister.

He has been given the post again in the new Somchai Wongsawat government, and he revealed he had decided to return to the job after learning many others were fighting for it.

Referring to rumours that "people close to him" had asked him to exploit his power for their benefit, Mun said he had only two grandsons, and neither of them sat on the board of a state telecom agency.

He admitted, however, that many people had asked him to do favours for them. Their requests have all been passed to the relevant state agencies for careful consideration without his interference, and it is up to the agencies whether the requests are granted.

Mun insists he never got involved in such decision-making.He said "this time" he would do his best to ensure transparency, to stop conflict-of-interest rumours. Advanced Info Service (AIS) recently informed Mun it needed help from TOT in allocating part of the 1,900-megahertz spectrum to it for developing a third-generation service. TOT's board later denied any knowledge of the case and said it had no policy of sharing the spectrum with any telecom operator.

Mun also denied reports he would appoint a new permanent secretary to the ICT Ministry, replacing Sue Loruthai, but said there were many people eager to take the job.

Mun will soon talk to the Finance Ministry, which wholly owns CAT Telecom and TOT, about a possible merger of the two agencies.

Next Tuesday, during scheduled public hearings of his version of draft laws governing the formation of the National broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, Mun plans to propose forwarding three versions of the draft laws for Parliament's consideration. As well as his version, there will be others proposed by the Senate and the opposition Democrat Party.