MCOT backs NCPO's anti-corruption move

BANGKOK, June 20 (TNA) - MCOT Public Company Limited (MCOT), a most established Thai media firm, has voiced its support for the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)'s anti-corruption policy. The MCOT Labour Union submitted a letter to Deputy Permanent Secretary for Interior ML Panadda Diskul, in his capacity as Acting Permanent Secretary for the Prime Minister's Office overseeing MCOT, on Friday morning, voicing its support for the NCPO's anti-corruption move. In the letter, the MCOT Labour Union urged ML Panadda to appoint a new set of MCOT board members who are efficient and knowledgeable, replacing current ones who are gradually resigning from their posts. Representatives of the MCOT Labour Union said they also plan to submit a letter to Army and NCPO Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha on June 24, requesting him to take action and to make MCOT a model for suppressing malpractices prevailing at Thai state enterprises. MCOT, whose major stakeholder is the Ministry of Finance, runs Modernine TV, Modern Radio Networks and Thai News Agency (TNA). Meanwhile, Thai Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Prajin Jantong, also an NCPO deputy chief overseeing economic affairs, told journalists that he will not resign as the board chair of Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, as he wants to improve business performances of the national airline. The NCPO recently decided to waive benefits for all THAI board members, including free 10 domestic and 10 oversea flights annually, in order to improve the national airline's business performances. THAI faced a net loss of about 13 billion baht in 2013, 5-6 billion baht of which resulted from foreign exchange losses. (TNA)