Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) employees and media academics have questioned the appointment of Krissada Ruang-areerat as station director last month.
Dr Krissada -- a dentist and former manager of the Thai Heath Promotion Foundation -- lacks professional media or journalistic experience, making his appointment contrary to the Thai PBS law passed in 2008, they argued yesterday at a panel on the role of Thai PBS as a public service television channel.
The law says one has to have knowledge, expertise or experience in media organisations to be considered for the position, said Uajit Virojtrairatt, an academic and former Thai PBS Policy Board member.
By appointing Dr Krissada as station head, the current Policy Board members have set a new standard for the channel's future, she argued.
From now on, anyone with management skills could be considered fit for the job, she said, regardless of whether they have a real understanding of journalistic work.
Following the decision last month, several Thai PBS employees have petitioned the Policy Board, asking for explanations regarding its pick.
Board members replied in a letter dated Jan 29 that the law said knowledge, expertise "or" experience were required, insisting on the word "or".
Krissada: Pushing for social change
The employees were told by the board that, in a changing media landscape, they felt a professional media background was no longer necessary to head the station.
Hathairat Phanoltap, a Thai PBS reporter, said she was unconvinced by the Policy Board's answer, and that further clarification was needed.
"I expect the person who will head Thai PBS and drive the channel forward to have a journalistic background," she said, adding a media personality with solid experience and thirst for news was necessary to set a strong direction for the channel.
Former heads Thepchai Yong and Somchai Suwaban regularly participated in editorial meetings, and gave journalists their support to continue reporting under difficult situations, such as the military's television ban right after the 2014 coup, she argued.
"Thai PBS, as a public service channel, is funded by taxpayers, and faces high expectations from Thai society. We need someone with a vision who can help Thai PBS earn credibility and viewers' trust," Ms Hathairat said.
She asked whether the Policy Board's "rough" interpretation of the law was merely to justify its choice in appointing Dr Krissada to head the station.
If the board wishes to set a new direction for the channel, it must explain itself to employees and the public, she added.
According to Ms Uajit, Dr Krissada has experience in using media channels to create social change.
After his appointment, Dr Krissada announced his vision for Thai PBS, which was to use the public service channel as a tool to achieve social change.
The conflict is not personal, she said, and the channel may be lucky that he was appointed as director. However, she said the board would need to take responsibility for the consequences, including the possibility more candidates with no media experience will apply for the position in the future.
Ms Uajit called for the Policy Board to clarify their decision before Thai PBS employees before someone takes the matter to the government's legal adviser, the Council of State, for its view of the law.