Recruitment of new board members of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is expected to kick off in September.
The process will be carried out under the existing 2017 NBTC Act, instead of waiting on the lower house's working committee to vet the recruitment-related amendment to the act.
After deliberation, the amendment bill will have to be passed by the Senate before being sent to parliament for a re-vote; the time frame for that process remains uncertain.
Digital Economy and Society Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta has made clear he could seek cabinet approval to trigger the recruitment process under the existing NBTC Act.
The committee may take up to two weeks to discuss the proposal with the Council of State and legal advisers before forwarding it to the cabinet for approval, he said.
Advice may also be sought from Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam to ensure the legality of the process before the proposal is handed to the cabinet.
"The procedure for new NBTC board recruitment needs to start to avert a decision-making vacuum over critical issues, especially in connection with 5G adoption and innovations through vertical industries and regulatory framework drafting in the future," Mr Buddhipongse said.
He said the committee agreed with the move as a way to get new board members without waiting for the amendment to the act.
The existing NBTC board's working term ended in October 2017, but the previous military regime invoked Section 44 powers to allow members to work until they are replaced by new recruits.
There are six incumbent members on the NBTC board.
Under the existing act, which came into force in 2017, 14 shortlisted candidates from seven fields of expertise must be sought first, two from each field. The fields include telecom, broadcasting, law and consumer protection.
Of the 14, seven will be chosen by Senate vote, leaving one candidate per field.
Mr Buddhipongse said a transitional provision may be needed for the amendment bill to allow the new board members chosen under the existing act to be able to apply for recruitment again when the bill comes into effect.
The procedure of the act amendment can continue through the parliamentary process simultaneously. Once the amendment is put into effect, the government can start the new recruitment process.