FCC Chairman Worries Over ITU Election Prep Amid Flood Relief Concerns

Key summary

Air Chief Marshal Thanapan Haejaroen, a member of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), expressed concern that the NBTC office might fail to implement resolutions from a special meeting held on October 21. The resolutions cover flood relief measures for affected citizens and preparations for Thailand's participation in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) General Conference in Doha, Qatar, scheduled for November 9-27, 2026. The conference is critical for Thailand's bid to secure a seat on the ITU Administrative Council for the Asia-Pacific region for the 2027-2030 term. Sub-Leukrat Wiriwatsiriikul, acting NBTC Secretary-General, previously questioned the legality of the special meeting involving six commissioners and its resolutions. The October 21 meeting, chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suphat Supachalasri, unanimously approved a delegation led by Police General Nattathorn Paesunsun to attend the ITU conference instead of Dr. Saran Boonbai-chaiyaphruk, who was deemed unable to serve due to a court ruling. The meeting also mandated mobile and telecom providers to extend payment deadlines for monthly subscribers by seven days and add seven days of usage for prepaid users in flood-affected areas, with immediate application if new flooding occurs in the southern region.