Lawmaker publicly criticizes NBTC for neglecting its unused headquarters
Hold Up, Folks!
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is under fire for mismanaging a whopping 2.6-billion-baht project, aimed at building a swanky new headquarters.
MP Rukchanok Srinork, representing the People's Party in Bangkok, has called out the NBTC, stating that their incompetence and questionable spending have brought this project to a halt. Construction, which was set to be completed in 2022, has been called off, and the cancellation of the contract has been attributed to changes in the building design requested by the NBTC and COVID-19 delays, according to the commission.
Design Changes, Cost Overruns, and DelaysThe initial design work for the project began back in 2013, with construction kicking off in 2019. Changing designs, however, often adds to the cost, and in this case, the additional expense amounts to an extra 100 million baht spent on design and supervision, Rukchanok explains.
What's the Matter with Spending, NBTC?Rukchanok, being a member of the House committee on state budget planning, has requested documents like the construction plan and the project's bill of quantities within 10 days to delve deeper into the NBTC's spending habits.
What's more, she draws attention to the fact that the NBTC had leeway to decide on such a massive project without seeking approval from the Budget Bureau, unlike most state agencies. Additionally, the NBTC's office building construction project wasn't reviewed by the House of Representatives, she points out.
Where Did Your Money Go, NBTC?Rukchanok questions the NBTC's budget approval process and how they spent 600 million baht on obtaining World Cup viewing rights. She pokes a finger at the NBTC's internal management, noting that they haven't named a secretary-general in the last five years and have allowed telecommunications companies to exert undue influence over their operations.
"The NBTC leadership is incompetent," she says. "They can't even deal with SMS messages from scam syndicates and illegal internet services at the border."
As of press time, the NBTC has not issued a response.
- MP Rukchanok Srinork, from the People's Party, accused the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) of mismanaging a 2.6-billion-baht project, intended for building a new headquarters, in 2022.
- The construction of the project, which was slated to be completed in 2022, has been cancelled due to changes in the building design requested by the NBTC and COVID-19 delays, according to the commission.
- Rukchanok, as a member of the House committee on state budget planning, requested documents like the construction plan and the project's bill of quantities within 10 days to investigate the NBTC's spending habits.
- Rukchanok also questionned the NBTC's spending of 600 million baht on obtaining World Cup viewing rights, and their internal management for not appointing a secretary-general in the last five years and permitting telecommunications companies to exert undue influence over their operations.
