The committee responsible for selecting seven new board members of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has chosen seven prospective candidates for the positions, with the list expected to be forwarded to the Upper House this week for further voting.
The seven candidates, which were drawn from a total of 78 applicants, came as a surprise to observers as various high-profile applicants failed to make the list, including former NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith.
A selection committee source who requested anonymity said Kiatpong Amatyakul, chairman of the committee, has signed a document certifying the qualifications of the seven who make the list. These candidates have passed checks on their qualifications and experience for the job.
Each candidate obtained approval from at least five out of a total of seven members of the selection committee.
Based on the amended NBTC Act, five NBTC members will come from the telecom, broadcasting, television, consumer protection, and people's liberty and rights promotion sectors, and another two from areas deemed to benefit NBTC's mission and duty.
The selection committee later defined the two latter fields as law and economics. Each NBTC board member represents each field.
The seven chosen consist of Air Marshal Thanapant Raicharoen, deputy secretary-general of the NBTC, in the broadcasting field; Kittisak Sriprasert, former chief executive of CAT Telecom, in the telecom field; Torpong Selanon, president of the Thailand Association of the Blind, in the field of people's liberty and right promotion.
The rest are Pirongrong Ramasoota, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Communication Arts, in the TV field; Dr Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck, a medical specialist and a former member of the now-defunct National legislative Assembly, in the field of consumer protection; First Lieutenant Tanakrit Akeyokaya, deputy manager of the Thai Media Fund, in the law field; as well as Suphat Suphachalasai, director of Thammasat University's Thammasat Institute of Area Studies, in economic field.
Meanwhile various big names failed to make the list.
They include former NBTC deputy secretary-general Korkij Danchaivichit, NBTC incumbent deputy secretary-general Pakdee Manaves as well as Mr Takorn.
Vunnaporn Devahastin, secretary-general of the office of National Digital Economy and Society Committee, also failed to be nominated.
Mr Takorn was not available for interview by press time while AM Thanapant, who was picked, said he was waiting for official confirmation about it and refused comment.
A source in the telecom industry who requested anonymity said there was still doubt about the selection criteria.
The government, through the selection committee, seemed to have some goals in mind even before the interview session, the source added.
Another source close to Mr Takorn said the former NBTC secretary-general may have been challenged as it had been widely speculated that Mr Takorn and his allies would take control of the board.
The decision may also have come from a legal issue as the amended NBTC act prohibits anyone who operates television, radio or telecom services from applying for the job unless they leave these roles for a year or more. The NBTC office runs a radio station on 98.5 FM, the source noted.
This legal issue may have shot down various big names from military backgrounds and the NBTC office.
However, it remains unclear why AM Thanapant made the list if this rule was applied.
The source said Mr Takorn has no intention of appealing against the selection committee's decision and he would not reapply if the new recruitment is needed.
The list of seven names will now be forwarded to the Senate and each of them must obtain votes from at least half the senators to qualify as NBTC board members.
