Shortlists for NTC likely ready next month

Thanirat Siripachana, the chairman of both committees, said yesterday that the panels intended to submit the final name lists to the Senate in August.

A source said that among the candidates was NTC secretary-general Suranan Wongvithayakamjorn, whose term ends next March, NTC legal adviser Choochart Suksa-nguan and former TOT executive Natee Sukonrat.

One committee will select two candidates, from which the Senate will appoint the replacement for Artorn Chandavimol, who resigned his post before his term ended.

The other panel will select six candidates, from which the Senate will appoint three people to replace the NTC members who were balloted out last year.

There are 30 applicants for the four NTC seats, although the number may grow after applications are received by mail.

Thanirat said the committees would take one month to examine candidates' qualifications, before those deemed qualified are invited to present their visions.

The NTC was established a little more than five years ago and had seven members, before Artorn resigned.

Last year, three commissioners - Choochart Promphrasid, Sethaporn Cusripituck and Rianchai Reowilaisuk - were balloted out after three years in office, in line with the frequency allocation law. However, they continue sitting until they are replaced.

This is a new round of member selection after the Senate in March failed to appoint any of those in lists presented to them during the first round.

Before the upper-house selection started in March, senators debated whether it was appropriate that two names appeared on both candidate lists.

None of the nominees proposed by the selection committee was able to win the 75 senator votes - a simple majority in the upper chamber - needed to become an NTC member. The Senate then asked the NTC selection panel to come up with new nominees for its consideration.

The previous list of candidates to replace the three balloted-out commissioners comprised Thawatchai Jittrapanun, a Chulalongkorn University economics professor and National Economic and Social Advisory Council member; Sompol Wanikpan, deputy secretary-general of the House of Representatives; Woradej Amornworapipat, deputy secretary-general of the National Council of Young Buddhists Association; Surin Reng-arom, former deputy supreme commander; Thamnoon Julamaneechoti, former CAT Telecom senior executive vice president; and Sirichai Sakornrattanakul, former Bangchak Petroleum managing director.

Thamnoon and Sirichai were also on the list of candidates to replace Artorn.