Following the Central Administrative Court's order on 25 Sep 2026 dismissing the case, Dr. Soran Boonbaichaiyapruk, Chairman of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) Board, filed a lawsuit against the NBTC Board Selection Committee.
The ruling found that Dr. Soran has a prohibited characteristic and is considered to have forfeited his right to serve as NBTC board member due to overlapping duties with his role as NBTC chairman.
The court reasoned that although Dr. Soran claimed to be an hourly or volunteer doctor practicing independently and not affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital, nor an employee due to no employment contract or hospital physician appointment,
it was evident that Dr. Soran had contracts or agreements with Ramathibodi's Faculty of Medicine to use facilities and equipment under his name to diagnose and treat patients, including a revenue-sharing agreement where the hospital collects fees and distributes payments to him.
This shows Dr. Soran still has a relationship with a government agency both factually and financially. Therefore, this is not an independent profession completely detached from government agencies, conflicting with the intent of the prohibition provisions and the principle of protecting the independence of NBTC board members.
Thus, the NBTC selection committee's decision that Dr. Soran is disqualified and has forfeited his right to the position is lawful, and the court dismissed the case.
Although this seems like progress, the scenario after the Central Administrative Court's order on 25 Sep 2026 can still unfold in many ways, unless Dr. Soran ultimately resigns.
Scenario One Dr. Soran, who has fought for over two months, is unlikely to give up before reaching the Supreme Court ruling. He is expected to file an appeal. There is a chance of a turnaround after Sep 2026 because of rotation in the new court, possibly changing the case outcome and giving Dr. Soran another chance.
Scenario Two The Central Administrative Court's ruling on 25 Sep 2026 will influence the royal petition to remove Dr. Soran from office, which was signed by Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul on 10 Jul 2026, affecting whether the royal decree for his removal will proceed.
Scenario Three The NBTC office insists on following the law. As long as Dr. Soran's position is not finalized, the office maintains that he remains NBTC chairman, with full authority to issue orders and perform chairman duties, including organizing meetings and setting agendas. The NBTC office is crucial in facilitating board meetings, which legally require his chairmanship unless the board manages to convene without him.
If the NBTC office views the court order as not final, holding board meetings without Dr. Soran as chairman, as the majority of board members want, will be difficult. This scenario could lead to repeated problems of failed board meetings due to quorum issues, as members protest the chairman's status.
The conclusion is that if Dr. Soran refuses to step down voluntarily, besides the royal decree removing him, there isthe NBTC office,which will determine the end of this infamous power struggle for the NBTC chairmanship.
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