Suspicion over Dr. Saran's NBTC Meetings and USO Budget

Thansettakij•Politics•5d ago

Reader Briefing

Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit warns against Dr. Saran Boonbaichaiyapruek signing off on a 18.582 billion baht USO budget amid pending removal from the NBTC chairmanship.

•Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit claims Dr. Saran Boonbaichaiyapruek is stubbornly scheduling seven NBTC board meetings in September.
•Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit expresses concern that these meetings aim to approve a USO fund budget of 18,582 million baht to benefit private companies.
•Dr. Saran Boonbaichaiyapruek is currently awaiting a royal command for removal from the position of NBTC Chairman.
•The USO Fund 4 budget involves allocations for telemedicine, computer procurement via ConnectED Foundation, and internet installation by the Army and National Housing Authority.

Overview

•Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit stated on August 21, 2026, that Dr. Saran Boonbaichaiyapruek should stop performing duties as the removal process has reached the royal approval stage.
•Dr. Saran Boonbaichaiyapruek has scheduled seven consecutive NBTC board meetings for September.
•Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit warned that signing binding budgets now carries a high risk of having no legal effect since the selection committee indicated Dr. Saran Boonbaichaiyapruek's status is as if he never held the position.
•The USO fund is a telecommunications and social service fund collected from mobile operators by law.
•The USO Fund 4 budget is valued at 18,582 million baht.
•Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit believes the USO Fund 4 projects have low efficiency and risk favoring specific private companies.
•The USO Fund 4 budget includes 6,631 million baht for the ConnectED Foundation to buy computers for over 600 schools.
•Mr. Trairat, the Acting Secretary-General, also serves as a board member of the National Housing Authority, which is tasked with installing internet in 512 communities.

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Source: Thansettakij (Original)

Key Quotes

Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit

"It is a matter of personal stubbornness, which may be a specific characteristic of the medical profession's personality in Thailand."

เป็นความดื้อส่วนบุคคล ซึ่งอาจเป็นลักษณะนิสัยเฉพาะตัวของบุคลิกวิชาชีพแพทย์ในไทย

Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit

"Dr. Saran should no longer approve or sign any projects in the name of this NBTC Chairman."

นพ.สรณ ไม่สมควรที่จะมีการอนุมัติ หรือ ลงนามโครงการใดๆ ในนามของประธาน กสทช. ท่านนี้อีก

Key Entities

Person

Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit(นพ.สุภัทร ฮาสุวรรณกิจ)

Former People's Party MP candidate and advisor to the Chairman of the Political Development Committee.

Dr. Saran Boonbaichaiyapruek(นพ.สรณ บุญใบชัยพฤกษ์)

Chairman of the NBTC who is awaiting royal approval for removal from office.

Mr. Trairat(นายไตรรัตน์)

Acting Secretary-General and a board member of the National Housing Authority.

Organization

NBTC(กสทช.)

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.

People's Party(พรรคประชาชน)

The political party for which Dr. Supat Hasuwannakit was a candidate.

Ministry of Interior(กระทรวงมหาดไทย)ℹ️

The ministry tasked with organizing telemedicine equipment for 4,500 health promoting hospitals.

Department of Local Administration(กรมส่งเสริมการปกครองท้องถิ่น)

The department through which the Ministry of Interior organizes telemedicine equipment.

ConnectED Foundation(มูลนิธิ ConnectED)

A foundation close to major mobile operators receiving a budget of 6,631 million baht to buy computers for schools.

The Army(กองทัพ)

The entity tasked with installing internet in border villages.

National Housing Authority(การเคหะแห่งชาติ)

The entity tasked with installing internet in 512 communities.

Policy

Universal Service Obligation Fund(กองทุนบริการโทรคมนาคมพื้นฐานและบริการเพื่อสังคม)

A fund known as the USO fund used for basic telecommunications and social services.