Among other things, the panel will have power to order private firms to disclose information that may compromise cyber security and to order both state and private organisations to comply with cyber-security moves.

The bill is proposed by an NRSA committee on mass communications reform headed by General Kanit Suwannetr.

The NRSA bill is based on a cyber-security bill that Cabinet has backed in principle and sent for review by the Council of State and for public hearings. But several details in the NRSA bill differ from the version that Cabinet endorsed.

The NRSA-version of the cyber security bill provides a definition of the term “cyber” as activities related to computers, computer systems, communication via computers and computer information.

The bill also defines cyber security as measures and operations for defending, dealing with and tackling threats that affect computer networks, the Internet, plus telecom networks, satellite up- and downlink services and public utility services.

The measures aim to prevent national stability, military security, peace and economic security from being affected by such threats.

The NRSA-version of the bill |proposes setting up a national |cyber-security committee (NCSC) headed by the prime minister or a deputy assigned by the PM.

The defence minister would be the first deputy chairman of the NCSC, with the digital economy and society minister as second deputy chairman.

Six more panel members would be permanent secretaries for Defence, Finance, Transport, Energy, Digital Economy and Society, and the Interior. Three other panellists would be the National Intelligence Agency director, governor of the Bank of Thailand and secretary general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.

The NRSA bill seeks to establish an Office of the NCSC with status of a department under supervision of the prime minister.

The bill would empower the new committee to order state agencies or private firms to change, cancel or stop activities deemed threatening national cyber security.

If state firms refuse to comply with such an order, their heads would be subject to disciplinary investigation to be decided by the Cabinet.

The NCSC will also be empowered to seek information from state agencies and private firms. If the private firms do not provide the requested information, the NCSC must seek court orders to force them to comply.

Pol Maj-General Pisit Pao-in, deputy chairman of the NRSA committee on mass communications reform, said the bill is not aimed at controlling information and communications, as feared and criticised on social media.

He said the bill aims to prevent cyber attacks such as malware that affect banking or ATM systems.