NBTC responds to overspending claim aimed at it and NTC
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Watchdogs transferred Bt11.49 bn in fees to state
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission yesterday said the watchdog and its predecessor had transferred combined regulatory fees of Bt11.49 billion to the state during the past eight years, out of total fees received of about Bt24 billion.
The NBTC made the remark in response to criticism over its alleged extravagant spending, and also that of the now-defunct National Telecommunications Commission.
The NTC, which was set up in October 2004, was replaced by the NBTC last October. The watchdogs have to pass regulatory fees, after deducting their expenses, to the state.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasit said that from 2004 to 2011, the agencies had collected combined regulatory fees of Bt24.068 billion, against expenses of Bt12.572 billion during the period.
As a result, they passed Bt11.493 billion to the state over the past eight years.
The NBTC expects regulatory fees of Bt4 billion this year, with estimated expenses of Bt2.5 billion.
Takorn said staff salaries and utility fees cost the agency about Bt1 billion a year. The NBTC has some 1,000 employees and the salary cost alone is around Bt40 million per month.
The 11-member NBTC is permitted a maximum of 35 advisers, with the chairman entitled to five and the other 10 commissioners three each. The monthly salary ceiling for an adviser is about Bt120,000.
The NBTC has appointed about 30 subcommittees, with one member permitted to sit in a maximum of three subcommittees.
The maximum allowance per subcommittee chairman is Bt8,000 per meeting, while that of a member is Bt5,000 per meeting. However, they can draw the meeting allowance a maximum of four times per month, said Takorn.
He added that there were many subcommittees as the NBTC had much work to do.
The agency currently uses the same monthly salary rate as that enjoyed by the seven NTC members, pending the government’s finalisation of the commissioners’ salaries.
The NTC chairman and its six other members earned Bt120,000 and Bt100,000 respectively, plus allowances of between Bt250,000 and Bt300,000 per month. Allowances were paid at the end of each year, based on 0.1 per cent of the NTC’s annual regulatory income.
Takorn said that under the regulations of the Budget Bureau, the NBTC chairman would earn the equivalent of that of a deputy prime minister, while other members would enjoy benefits the same as that of a minister in the PM’s Office.
The NBTC secretary general, meanwhile, will enjoy benefits equivalent to the permanent secretary at the PM’s Office. The Senate is set to appoint a five-member committee to follow up and evaluate the NBTC’s performance, in accordance with the 2010 Frequency Allocation Law.
The panel chairman will earn a salary of Bt120,000, while the other four members will each receive Bt100,000. The salaries will be paid by the NBTC.
NTC and NBTC regulatory income is from licence fees, number fees and spectrum-use fees.
In 2004, the NTC reported regulatory fees of Bt15.87 million for the October to December period, and no expenses.
In 2005, regulatory fees totalled Bt355 million against expenses of Bt196 million, with the equivalent figures rising to Bt2.185 billion and Bt1.345 billion, respectively, the following year.
In 2007, its regulatory income was Bt3.059 billion, and expenses came in at Bt2.264 billion, followed by fees of Bt5.405 billion and expenses of Bt2.96 billion during the next year.
In 2009, the NTC had regulatory fees of Bt5.266 billion and outgoing expenses of Bt1.379 billion, followed by Bt3.733 billion and Bt2.078 billion, respectively, in 2010.
Last year, the combined regulatory income of the NTC and the NBTC was Bt4.05 billion, against expenses of Bt2.35 billion.
