Under a royal command, the successful candidates will be formally named to membership of the National Telecommunications Commission, in charge of the highly profitable telecom industry.

The industry has been awaiting the commission in trepidation, since it will be empowered to set service standards and pricing, award licences and hold overall regulatory authority of the country's telecom system.

Most of them are senior government officials or university academics.

The winning candidates were:

Gen Chuchart Promprasit, a former chairman of the joint chiefs-of-staff attached to a supreme commander, who won the most votes with 168.

Atorn Chantawimon, a former director-general of the Informal Education Department, with 148 votes.

Sutham Yunaitham, an associate professor of law at Chulalongkorn University, with 141 votes.

Sethaporn Kusripitak, a former director-general of the Telegraph Department, with 126 votes.

Suchart Suchartwetchapum, director-general of the Public Relations Department, with 117 votes.

Prasit Prapinmongkolkarn, a professor of engineering at Chulalongkorn University, with 117 votes.

Rianchai Riowilaisook, director-general of the Telegraph Department, with 111 votes.

*** Ray's comment: We should take heart from the fact that the current Director General of the PTD, and the retired DG Khun Sethaporn are knowledgeable about amateur radio, and in the past have been very supportive. We congratulate them on their success.

73 Ray