Thailand’s military junta has appointed a state-enterprise super-board to help modernise and oversee future operations of the Kingdom’s 56 state enterprises which include state telcos CAT Telecom and TOT Corporation.
The board is chaired by junta leader General Prayuth Chanocha himself.
Of particular note to the telecommunications sector is the inclusion of Bantoon Lumsum. Bantoon is CEO of KBank and cousin of Loxley CEO Dhongchai Lumsum. Loxley is a TOT 3G MVNO, regular winner of state telecom projects and also has a subsidiary, Loxley Pacific, that runs a telecommunications network in North Korea, among other things.
Another noteworthy individual is Dr Thaweesak Koranantakool, best known for his role as popular and technology-savvy president of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center in the late 90’s and early 00’s and later president of the National Science and Technology Development Agency. Thaweesak co-founded Thailand’s first ISP - Internet Thailand - in 1995.
Besides the permanent secretaries of defence, finance, transport, energy and interior and secretaries-general of the Council of State and National Economic and Social Development Board, other members of the super board include financier Banyong Pongpanich, former Bank of Thailand governor Prasarn Triratworakul, former stock market regulator Rapee Sucharitkul and Stock Exchange of Thailand chief strategy officer Veerathai Santiprapob.
On Friday the junta issued orders formally appointing new permanent secretaries and directors-general of many government agencies. Most had already been moved temporarily.
The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology saw permanent secretary Dr Surachai Srisaracam formally removed and transferred to an inactive post and the acting permanent secretary Maythinee Thepmanee formally promoted.
Surachai was the mastermind behind the plan to lock down the domestic internet with smart-card based access to a single state-controlled international gateway as well as a national smartphone project. His two predecessors were both indicted for corruption in approving the Shin Satellite contract.
Ms Maythinee transferred to the ICT Ministry in early 2003 as director of the ICT promotion bureau and was later inspector, a director-general level post without portfolio, before being appointed as acting permanent secretary by the junta.