NBTC scraps 3.8bn baht telehealth project over budget concerns

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) board members have voted against the development of a 3.8 billion baht telehealth project, citing misalignment with the objectives of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) project budget.

The majority of board members argued that the USO project’s focus should be on supporting telecom network installation and expansion to bridge the digital divide, while the telehealth project primarily invests in IT systems such as cloud server systems.

At the board’s third meeting, four members voted to scrap the project, while three, including NBTC chairman Dr Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck, supported it. The majority emphasised that they were not blocking useful projects but highlighted the telehealth proposal’s deviation from the USO policy. They also expressed concerns about potential legal risks for…