A National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) meeting yesterday also agreed in principle on an aid package for digital television broadcasters with its implementation yet to be decided, said government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

Last week, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) rejected the list of NBTC candidates on grounds that many were not qualified. The process to select a fresh set of commissioners will not begin until a new NCPO order is delivered, according to an announcement in the Royal Gazette yesterday.

Incumbent NBTC commissioners are expected to go ahead with the planned auction of 1800 MHz spectrum slots in the middle of this year, said Takorn Tantasith, NBTC secretary-general.

Prime Minister Prayut declined to elaborate about the implementation of the aid package for financially troubled digital TV operators.

Earlier, NBTC proposals to help both the broadcasting and telecom sectors were heavily criticised for “unfair treatment” that resulted in a delay to the NCPO order to help struggling digital TV operators.

Under the new aid package, the 13 digital TV licensees, who had earlier petitioned Prayut and the NCPO for help, will see their next three annual payments of licence fees suspended. These were due in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

However, licensees must pay 1.5-per-cent interest per annum on the amounts until they are paid in following years.

Second, the NBTC will subsidise the expenses for broadcasting facilities for a two-year period.

Third, licensees will be allowed to transfer their digital TV licences to other investors, which is not legally possible at the moment.

Suparb Kleekajai, president of the digital TV operators’ association, said the aid package will give a new lease of life to struggling operators over the next few years, while the proposal to allow licence transfer will increase flexibility in managing the viability of businesses.

A total of 24 companies were granted digital TV licences in 2013 but two opted out with a court order due to heavy losses.

Of these remaining 22 licensees, 13 have sought financial help from the government due to an oversupply of digital TV channels and advertising revenue slowdown.

In addition, the growth of social media has affected revenues of the TV operators.

The original digital TV licences have a 15-year validity with annual fees already having been paid in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

According to the new aid package, licensees will have more financial liquidity to stay afloat since the government does not want to see more TV operators go out of business.

So far the government has received about Bt33 billion out of the total Bt50 billion in licence fees that resulted from fierce competition and high bid prices in 2013.

Originally, the NBTC expected to get only Bt15 billion in licence fees from bidders.

Sansern said the NCPO had not decided on the aid package for the telecom industry as two bidders, AIS and True, had also sought financial help and new payment terms for the multibillion-baht licence fees for spectrum.

Both firms owe about Bt60 billion in combined spectrum fees to the NBTC following high bidding in the fiercely contested auction. The firms have since cited financial liquidity problems and sought a debt moratorium.

The NLA’s decision to reject the list of new NBTC candidates has attracted controversy after a leaked audio clip hinted that Prime Minister Prayut was unhappy with the list.

However, he also showed sympathy towards those politicians and former MPs who he said did not have enough opportunity to express their opinions and were neglected by their party executives.

“There is the accusation that the National Council for Peace and Order [NCPO] or the government would go and force individuals, businessmen and the people [to bend to my will]. How do I get the power to do that?” Prayut said in response to remarks made by on Abhisit on Monday.

The development came after widespread speculation that the NCPO was trying to approach politicians from different parties with a view to their joining forces to support Prayut’s return as premier following the next general election.

Abhisit said that not only members of medium-sized parties, but also those in the Democrat Party had been offered jobs in the government in exchange for their support.

Last week, Palang Chon Party leader Sontaya Khunplome was appointed a political adviser to Prayut.

Political analysts viewed the appointment as a clear sign that Palang Chon – influential in the Eastern seaboard area – would be part of a network of allies backing Prayut in the election.

Moreover, a mobile Cabinet meeting next month will take place in Buri Ram province, a political stronghold of the Phum Jai Thai Party and its popular founder and politician, Newin Chidchob.

Political observers have speculated that Prayut will try to make a deal with Phum Jai Thai during the excursion.

However, the premier said on Tuesday after the weekly Cabinet meeting that he did not want anyone to say that he was “luring politicians to join his pro-junta party”.

There was no way the pro-military party could lure anyone unless their current affiliate parties had not done their job well, Prayut suggested.

“Did they take good care of their members? Did the MPs have the chance to express their thoughts or bring the people’s demands to the table?” he asked rhetorically. “Did they give importance to the members? They didn’t do that enough, did they?”

Prayut also said he understood that all politicians wanted to do good for the country. However, they could not do that because of their party’s policies, the party leader’s policies or their supporters, he added.

But in the NCPO, nobody has such a dominant role and everyone can work freely, he insisted.

“So, go back and have a look at how you work [in your party]. It’s not your business that members are being lured. Your business is to take good care of your members,” Prayut said.

Chumphon Governor Narong Phonla-iad and Bueng Kan Governor Pisut Butsayapanpong have been named inspectors-general of the Interior Ministry.

They will be replaced respectively by Viboon Rattanapornwong and Nirat Pongsithithaworn, who are both currently the ministry’s inspectors-general.

Six other provincial governors have seen their jobs swapped in the latest transfers involving senior Interior Ministry officials.

Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn has been appointed governor of Phayao, a neighbouring northern province.

He is to be replaced by Prajon Pratchakun, who is currently the governor of Phayao.

Prachin Buri Governor Suriya Amornrojworawut has been named the new governor of Amnat Charoen, Phetchabun Governor Piboon Hatthakitkosol the new governor of Prachin Buri, Mae Hong Son Governor Suebsak Iamwijan as governor of Phetchabun, and Amnat Charoen Governor Sirirat Chum-uppakan as governor of Mae Hong Son.

The appointments, part of the bureaucratic reshuffle in the middle of the 2018 fiscal year, will become effective after obtaining royal endorsement.

Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda declined to comment as to whether the transfers of certain governors were connected to the high road-accident death tolls in their provinces during the recent Songkran holidays.

He merely said Interior Ministry permanent secretary Chatchai Promlert had suggested the transfers for the sake of suitability regarding the ministry’s personnel.

Wissanu said yesterday that he saw no need for politicians to learn about the topics early.

“They don’t need to know now. The earlier they know, the quicker they reject them and start criticising. That will only spoil the atmosphere,” he said. “When the time comes, they will know that they have to join the meeting, or they will be left behind. It’s better for them to wait. Certainly, they will know the meeting is useful.”

The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has scheduled a meeting with representatives from political parties in June, citing the need to settle any problems that may affect their preparations for the next general election.

Prime Minister Prayut Chanocha, who heads the NCPO, initiated the talks, in line with a junta order issued last year.

Wissanu, who is in charge of the government’s legal affairs, said that even though no political parties had so far opted to attend the gathering, the NCPO and its organs would conฌvene the meeting. He said the NCPO Order No 53/2560 stated that the NCPO “may invite” political parties to attend the meeting.