Bangkok: Consumers are pressuring the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to release the results of an examination of the qualifications of one of the NBTC commissioners, pointing out that this will affect the legitimacy of the commission’s performance.

According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Pornsak Suwan, as a consumer, has submitted a follow-up letter to the Consumer Council (TCC) to expedite the investigation into the qualifications of Professor Dr. Pirongrong Ramasut, a National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) commissioner. The complaint was filed in August, but no decision has yet been announced. On August 8, 2015, Mr. Pornsak filed a complaint with the TCC to investigate Professor Dr. Pirongrong’s qualifications. The complaint followed information that he was hired as a research consultant for Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University, a government agency, during his tenure as a NBTC commissioner. This violation of the law may violate Section 8 (2) of the Radio Frequency Allocation Act, which prohibits NBTC commissioners from being employees or consultants of government agencies. It also violates Section 26, which stipulates that commissioners must perform full-time duties. Violations of this requirement are grounds for dismissal under Sectio
n 20 (5).

Mr. Pornsak added that he submitted the matter in August but has not yet received a response or any progress. The Consumer Council must be proactive, not rely on the public’s own follow-up. They must demonstrate transparency and seriousness in their actions. He called on TCC to clarify its work processes and request that the review process and operational schedule be officially disclosed to build public confidence. He also sent a copy of the follow-up letter directly to Ms. Saree Ongsomwang, Secretary-General of the Consumer Council, requesting that top executives oversee and expedite the review process, as this issue impacts public confidence in the organization’s role.

Mr. Pornsak cited a principle previously stated by TCC executive Mr. Itboon Onwongsa, Deputy Secretary-General, that “any NBTC decision that may affect consumer rights, if carried out by an unqualified or disqualified person, is unjust.”

For this reason, Mr. Pornsak believes that the case of Prof. Dr. Pirongrong deserves an urgent investigation and urges the TCC to investigate the facts, coordinate the request for evidence, and report the results to the public promptly to ensure transparent and effective protection of public interests.