Media regulation bill could go to NRSA whip late this month, says reform panel head
Air Chief Marshal Kanit Suwannet, head of the media reform committee under the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), confirmed on Tuesday that the media regulation bill would see no further major changes other than those in the latest revision, and that it could enter the whips’ office late this month or early May.
Kanit said that despite the panel’s resolution on the central ideas in the bill, it could not be submitted to the NRSA whip immediately because the revision also affected other articles in the draft.
His committee therefore has to review it and ensure that the order of the articles and all the references are correct, he added.
Police Major-General Pisit Pao-in, the committee’s vice chairperson, revealed yesterday that in the latest revision, media personnel would be licensed – and failure to register would result in penalties of up to two years in jail or a fine of up to Bt60,000, which was a new component proposed in the draft bill.
The panel also insisted on having two permanent secretaries sitting on the proposed media professional council, despite strong opposition by media groups, which said this could lead to interference from the state.
