A Chulalongkorn University faculty has expressed its support for Pirongrong Ramasoota, a National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) member, who was sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday for dereliction of duty following a complaint from True Digital Group.
The Faculty of Communication Arts hosted a seminar, "The Pirongrong Effect", yesterday where it voiced its support for Prof Emeritus Pirongrong, who is a former faculty lecturer.
Associate Prof Preeda Akarachantachote, dean of the faculty, said that as an educational institution in communication arts, it could not remain indifferent to the sentencing.
"Academics, professionals, and many citizens have been fighting for media reform in Thailand for a long time," he said.
"Society expects the NBTC to be independent of both state and capital power when performing its duty of regulating the media through professional ethics, by being responsible to society, and by protecting the rights and freedoms of consumers," he said.
The seminar was held after the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases ruled that Prof Emeritus Pirongrong had shown an intent to cause damage to True Digital Group that amounted to dereliction of duty under Section 157 of the Criminal Code. The two-year jail term came with no suspension.
Prof Emeritus Pirongrong maintained that she was simply doing her duty by issuing a warning about digital platform operators inserting commercials into free-to-air television broadcasts.
Associate Prof Preeda said the result of the legal case may cause society to question the independence of the NBTC. He said it also may affect how media operators, media professionals, and consumers view the work of the NBTC in the future.
He said his faculty supports Prof Emeritus Pirongrong's performance of her NBTC duties.
He said she performed those duties honestly, adhered to principles, and protected the public's interests.
The dispute started in 2023 when the NBTC received complaints from people that TrueID was carrying advertisements on digital TV channels on its platform.
Prof Emeritus Pirongrong, who chaired the regulator's broadcasting subcommittee, ordered the acting NBTC deputy secretary-general to notify 127 radio and TV broadcast licence holders that True Digital was not permitted to operate the over-the-top (OTT) service. The notification also reminded them of the must-carry principle that requires all platforms to carry free-to-air channels with no advertising disruptions.
In March 2024, True filed a complaint against the NBTC and Prof Emeritus Pirongrong, claiming the warning had harmed its reputation and partnerships with TV channel providers.
Yesterday's seminar also included a former NBTC commissioner, a journalist and a legal expert as speakers who urged the government to revise and update laws concerning NBTC.
They also called for accelerating a national master plan to regulate internet-based television or OTT media service before the licensed television industry collapses.