3G: civic group seeks impeacement of NBTC
A civic group yesterday sought impeachment proceedings against all 11 members of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), accusing them of irregularities in the 3G bidding on Tuesday by promoting collusion and not competition, c
Surasak Siripornadulsil, representative of the group, submitted a list of 57,904 signatories to Senate Speaker Nikom Waiyaratpanit for launching impeachment proceedings against the NBTC commissioners on the grounds of alleged dishonesty in the manner in which the 3G bidding was held, in violation of the State Bidding Act 1999. The group said the bidding allowed collusion among companies taking part and the number of frequencies were equal to the number of bidders.
The bid starting price was set at only Bt4.5 billion. The results of nine slots of bidding found that the offered prices were only 2.8 per cent higher than the starting price and much lower than the state evaluation price, causing the state to lose Bt16 billion. The winners of the bids, who are given 15-year operating licences, pay the state only Bt1 billion per year.
The group also accused the NBTC of violating Article 47 of the Constitution for allegedly issuing regulations and procedures in granting 3G operating licences without taking into account the country’s highest interest, the interests of the people and interest of locals.
Nikom said he would check the qualifications of the 57,904 people named in the list, which may take longer than 30 days.
He would then submit a complaint to the National Anti-Corruption Commission and if there were grounds for the accusations, the Senate can start impeachment proceedings.
Meanwhile Confederation of Consumer Organisation president Bunyuen Siritham also filed a complaint with Petchaburi Senator Sumol Sutawiriyawat, president of the Senate Committee on Education, Corruption Investigation and Good Governance, seeking an investigation into alleged collusion and lack of good governance in the 3G bidding.
Appointed Senator Paiboon Nititawan who is chairman of the Senate’s subcommittee on anti-corruption and promotion of justice, said his committee has been given the nod to investigate alleged irregularities in the 3G bidding after a civic group sought impeachment proceedings against the NBTC commissioners.
