NBTC commissioner Dr Pirongrong Ramasoota has been sentenced to prison for wrongfully exercising authority against TrueID, an internet platform owned by a Thai corporate giant, over issuing warning letters about embedded advertisements on the platform. Several parties believe this poses a threat to media consumers’ rights. She was later granted bail pending appeal.

The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced Pirongrong to two years in prison without suspension after finding her guilty of wrongfully exercising her authority against TrueID, run by True Digital Group, a subsidiary of True Corporation. True Corporation is a telecommunications business under the CP Group, founded by the Chearavanont family, Thailand’s second-richest family in 2024 according to Forbes magazine.

57-year-old professor at the Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University has served on the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) since 2022. 

The case stemmed from a 2023 complaint submitted to the NBTC regarding advertisements embedded on the TrueID platform. The complaint alleged that free to air TV channel content broadcast via TrueID was modified by the insertion of advertisements.

In response, Pirongrong ordered the issuance of warning letters to 127 television channels, urging them to review their content on all platforms. The warning letters were based on the NBTC’s ‘Must Carry’ regulation, which states that any free-to-air TV channel content relayed via any platform provider, must not be modified or have advertisements inserted, ensuring that all Thai viewers have equal access.

True Digital Group filed a lawsuit against Pirongrong because of these letters, claiming that although the letters were not sent directly to the company, they allegedly caused damage to the company. True Digital Group also requested the Court to order her to cease performing duties as an NBTC commissioner, but the Court initially dismissed the request.

A witness from the NBTC testified that Pirongrong instructed the NBTC to expedite the warning letters, and she was also reported to have used the words ‘backstabbing’ and ‘toppling a giant’.

The Court concluded that Pirongrong intended to harass True Digital Group, and she had no evidence to refute the claims made by the other party.

The NBTC commissioner was later granted bail pending appeal with 120,000 baht as security and on the condition that she is not allowed to travel abroad. As a result, she can continue performing her duties as an NBTC commissioner.

Saree Aongsomang, Secretary General of Thailand Consumer Council, stated that filing a lawsuit against an NBTC commissioner will discourage other commissioners from protecting consumers’ interests.

The Communication Arts Student Committee, Chulalongkorn University, expressed concern that the lawsuit may constitute a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, or SLAPP, which could have a negative effect on regulatory oversight under the NBTC. They also warned that this kind of legal action could cause fear in society.

In 2022, Pirongrong was one of the two NBTC commissioners who opposed the merger between True and DTAC, Thailand’s two largest internet service providers. The merger was completed in March 2023 despite concerns over market monopoly.