The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will seek amendments to the frequency allocation law to revamp its budget and revenue structure to improve transparency and public accountability.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasit said he will submit a letter to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) asking the junta chiefs to order a review of the 2010 Frequency Allocation Act so the agency's budget is subject to parliamentary scrutiny.
Mr Takorn said the amendments will allow the agency to remit about 50.8 billion baht it has obtained from the auction of digital TV spectrum to the state's coffers.
Under the current law, the NBTC is required to remit revenues from the auctions of telecom spectrum to the government while the revenues from the auctions of the broadcasting spectrum goes to the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Research Development Fund for the Public Interest (BTFP).
The proceeds are managed on an off-budget basis, raising concerns among critics about fiscal discipline.
The BTFP came under the spotlight this month after the NBTC decided to spend part of the funds to pay RS Plc, the broadcast rights-holder for the World Cup, to allow the broadcast of all 64 World Cup matches on free-to-air channels.
Mr Takorn, who serves as a member and secretary of the BTFP, said the regulator itself feels uncomfortable that its spending plans have not been scrutinised in parliament.
He said he had twice asked the Budget Bureau to table the agency's budget spending plan for parliament scrutiny.
His request was turned down because parliament scrutiny is not allowed under the frequency allocation law.