By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING & Telecommunications Commission will be investigated for allegedly illegally providing a 600 million baht fund for the Sports Authority of Thailand’s planned purchase of a telecasting licence for the upcoming World Cup soccer games, said an opposition MP today (Nov.9).
Move Forward MP Sirikanya Tansakul said she will shortly petition the National Anti-Corruption Commission to launch investigation into allegations that the NBTC has broken the law pertaining to the broadcasting and telecom agency’s offered funding for the sports agency which, she said, would be otherwise merely provided for the purposes of granting access for underprivileged members of society and persons with disabilities to television and radio broadcasting and telecommunications throughout the country.
Sirikanya contended that the attempted purchase by the sports agency of the telecasting licence for the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 given partial funding from the NBTC is by no means applicable to the broadcasting and telecom agency’s established objectives provided by law.
The NBTC has reportedly offered to grant 600 million baht in funding to contribute to an estimated 1.6 billion baht worth of the Fifa telecasting licence which the sports agency may buy, beginning with an opening match scheduled for Nov. 20 until the final on Dec.18.
Meanwhile, the MP said, it remains to be seen whether the sports agency might probably cover the balance of about one billion baht with the possible use of the National Sports Development Fund, reported to currently have some five billion baht in cash on tap.
According to the woman lawmaker, the National Sports Development Fund may be legally provided for Thai athletes contesting international sporting events such as the Olympic Games but not the World Cup soccer games in which the Thai national team has failed to qualify.
In addition to the planned petition to the anti-graft agency, she said she will shortly raise a House interpellation with the government over the contentious NBTC funding.
CAPTIONS:
Top: The Fifa World Cup trophy. Photo: Getty Images and published by Indiatvnews.com
Front Page; Fifa World Cup 2022 countdown clock in Qatar. Photo: CNA
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