A former broadcast regulator said today that the conviction of Professor Pirongrong Ramasoota, a current member of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), by the Central Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases, over a legal dispute with True Digital Group, will make it more difficult for the regulator to perform its duties in the future.
The verdict may also make the individual commissioners more cautious about what they say during meetings and their actions, out of fear that they may put them at risk of being sued and convicted like Pirongrong, said Dr Prawit Leesathapornwongsa, former head of the consumers protection subcommittee of the NBTC.
The commissioners may, from now on, be more concerned about their own safety, he said, as he cited a common phrase he learned in his childhood, which is: “It is better to be safe than sorry.”
He explained that the commissioners and officials may feel that they will still be paid the same, whether they work hard or just stand idle.
He noted the court’s specific mention of a remark made by Pirongrong during a meeting of the consumers’ protection subcommittee, while considering complaints filed against TrueID by some consumers, accusing the company of inserting commercials in its OTT streaming platform.
The wording in question was “to dethrone a giant”, said Dr Prawit, which is a common Thai phrase, referring to an underdog which manages to beat a larger one. He added that the phrase was interpreted by the court as meaning that Pirongrong had ill intentions and bias towards TrueID.
The former commissioner noted that interpreting remarks made during a meeting must take into account the atmosphere at the meeting and the context in which they are made, adding that statements made in private meetings are not public speeches.
He also said that the court’s verdict, albeit on appeal, may set an example for other unscrupulous broadcasters to take legal action against the NBTC and its commissioners.
