NBTC Warned Over Coverage of Court Case

Thailand’s Office of the Administrative Court has warned the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission over parts of a press release issued after a recent case.

The court office said information published on the NBTC website and in other media contained only portions of Supreme Administrative Court Order No. 259/2026. It also said the release incorrectly presented the plaintiff’s arguments as statements contained in the court order.

The office warned that publishing selected passages in a way that could cause misunderstanding about the court’s ruling and reasoning may violate the law. The dispute followed a challenge by NBTC chairman Sarana Boonchayachai over a selection committee ruling on his qualifications.

The committee ruled on July 21 that Sarana lacked the qualifications to hold the position because he had failed to resign from prohibited posts under the NBTC law before becoming eligible for appointment. Sarana disagreed and argued that the committee no longer had authority to determine his qualifications after his formal appointment by royal command. He later filed a lawsuit with the Central Administrative Court seeking to overturn the committee’s ruling, but the court initially refused to accept the case.