Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) Selection Committee has resolved to impose an administrative enforcement measure requiring NBTC Chairman Professor Dr. Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck to stop performing his duties, while petitioning the Central Administrative Court to formally order his suspension.
The development follows the Central Administrative Court’s ruling on September 25, 2026, which dismissed Sarana’s lawsuit seeking to overturn the NBTC Selection Committee’s July 21 decision that found him lacking the qualifications to serve as an NBTC commissioner and deemed him to have forfeited his right to assume the position.
According to an official announcement issued by the NBTC Selection Committee on Monday, September 28, the committee received a request from NBTC commissioners asking it to petition the Central Administrative Court for interim measures while the legal dispute remains ongoing.
The request cited the September 25 ruling of the Central Administrative Court in Case No. 1455/2569, which upheld the committee’s authority to determine Sarana’s qualifications and prohibited characteristics under Section 8(2) of the NBTC Act. The court found that Sarana’s previous work as a physician at Ramathibodi Hospital constituted a prohibited characteristic under the law.
The committee said Sarana has continued to express his intention to report to the NBTC office and attend NBTC meetings despite the court’s ruling. It argued that his continued performance of duties could obstruct the work of other NBTC commissioners and potentially disrupt the regulator’s operations.
The committee therefore determined that action was necessary to prevent the NBTC’s operations from being disrupted and to protect the public interest.
In its latest resolution, the Selection Committee decided to issue an administrative enforcement measure requiring Sarana to cease performing his duties. It also resolved to petition the Central Administrative Court to issue an order requiring him to stop acting as NBTC chairman.
The committee cited its own Resolution No. 1/2569 dated July 21, 2026, Supreme Administrative Court Order No. 952/2569, and the Central Administrative Court’s September 25 judgment as the legal basis for its latest action. The committee said these decisions confirmed that its July 21 ruling remains legally effective.
The dispute stems from the Selection Committee’s finding that Sarana had a prohibited characteristic under Section 8(2) of the NBTC Act in connection with his work at Ramathibodi Hospital before assuming the NBTC position. Sarana had challenged the committee’s decision, arguing that he had resigned from his university position and continued practicing medicine independently. The Central Administrative Court ultimately rejected his challenge.
The latest move adds another layer to the ongoing legal dispute over the leadership of Thailand’s telecommunications and broadcasting regulator, with the Central Administrative Court now being asked to determine whether interim measures should be imposed while the matter remains subject to further legal proceedings.