The selection of TOT Plc's new president should be labelled "not urgent" if the state telecom cannot find the most qualified candidate for the job, says the information and communication technology (ICT) minister.
Even though the original application deadline was extended by two months to March 12, none of the applicants meet the requirements, ICT Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa said, adding that only six candidates applied.
As TOT is following a business turnaround strategy in a bid to stem its ailing finances and revive business, the state enterprise is in dire need of a talented chief to pump creativity and talent into the organisation, Mr Pornchai said.
Senior executive vice-president Monchai Noosong is serving as acting president.
Mr Pornchai said the new president should be well recognised and have achieved success in the telecommunications industry as well as be politically neutral.
"If the TOT board cannot find an appropriate candidate, it can allow the existing acting president to continue his role," he said.
"The president's position no longer requires making any crucial decisions as TOT is now supervised by the State Enterprises Policy Commission."
TOT is among seven troubled state-run enterprises including CAT Telecom that the commission, also known as the superboard, requires to reduce their workforce under their business turnaround plans.
The superboard also requires TOT to reduce its workforce in order to cut costs.
The six candidates to date are Mr Monchai; Teeravit Charuwat, who was TOT president during the Yingluck Shinawatra government; Arnont Tuptiang, president during the Abhisit Vejjajiva government; Jesada Sivaraks, secretary to the NBTC's vice-chairman; Somprot Sarakoses, chief executive of VGM Corporation; and Pol Lt Col Piyawit Wongsawat, a former adviser to the ICT minister.
TOT initially set the first application deadline for Jan 12, but only three candidates applied — Siripong Lohasirikul, managing director of Progress Software and a former Kasikornbank board member, Gen Suraphol Tarbnanont and Mr Somprot.
A second deadline was then set for March 12.
TOT has 16,500 employees aged 47 on average.
The state telecom pays 14 billion baht in employees' salaries per year or 35% of operating costs, Mr Pornchai said.
TOT posted a net profit of 1 billion baht last year, a huge turnaround from its initial projection of a loss of 7.8 billion baht, thanks to a sharp reduction in operating costs and funding cuts in several projects.
It booked 2014 revenue of 29.8 billion baht from its own operations excluding concessions, up from 28.9 billion in 2013.
