Supachai Jaisamut defends Thai PBS funding law amendments

Supachai Jaisamut, a Bhumjaithai Party MP and legal chairman, has responded to concerns from six media professional organizations regarding proposed legislative amendments affecting Thai PBS. The proposed changes aim to alter how the public broadcaster and three other organizations—the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, the Elderly Fund, and the National Sports Development Fund—receive funding.

Currently, these entities receive revenue directly from alcohol and tobacco taxes. The proposed amendment seeks to replace this mechanism with annual government budget allocations to align with the State Fiscal and Financial Discipline Act of 2018. Supachai clarified that the goal is not to dissolve these organizations or target Thai PBS specifically, but to ensure that public funds are managed under a unified, transparent, and accountable system.

Addressing concerns over media censorship, Supachai argued that media independence and fiscal responsibility are not mutually exclusive. He stated that while he supports the necessity of an independent public broadcaster capable of scrutinizing state power, the method of procuring public funds must remain transparent and subject to national fiscal standards. He emphasized that because Thai PBS utilizes public resources, citizens have the right to question the efficiency and appropriateness of its funding mechanisms.