A board meeting of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) was aborted for the fifth consecutive time on Thursday as commissioners continued to boycott the session over the chairman's disqualification.

The meetings failed due to a lack of quorum, meaning a required minimum number of members were not present, leaving 143 agenda items unconsidered.

Three commissioners -- AM Thanapant Raicharoen, Pirongrong Ramasoota and Suphat Supachalasai -- arrived at the NBTC headquarters in Bangkok yesterday, but declined to enter the boardroom.

They said they are ready to attend meetings without chairman Dr Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck and refuse to participate in any session joined by Dr Sarana after Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul recently signed a petition seeking royal approval to remove Dr Sarana from office.

Last month, the NBTC selection committee ruled that Dr Sarana had failed to resign from posts prohibited by NBTC law before becoming chairman.

Another commissioner, Somphop Purivigraipong, was on leave yesterday, while Torpong Selanon and Pol Gen Natthorn Phrosunthorn joined the meeting via an online channel.

At 9.38am, Dr Sarana entered the boardroom and waited for a full quorum.

At 10.01am, acting NBTC secretary-general Trairat Viriyasirikul informed the meeting that 30 minutes had passed without a quorum being reached and proposed the meeting be called off.

Dr Sarana subsequently cancelled the meeting before leaving the boardroom at 10.05am.

"I have acted fully in accordance with the law, without violating any legal provisions, while adhering to professional standards and ethics," Dr Sarana said.

Mrs Pirongrong submitted a memorandum to the NBTC secretary-general yesterday, reaffirming her readiness to attend the board's next 24 meetings this year, but with only six commissioners and without Dr Sarana's participation.

She said this would ensure that several urgent agenda items could be considered.

Mrs Pirongrong said she could not attend any meeting chaired by Dr Sarana, citing legal concerns arising from the ongoing process to remove him from the post.

Any administrative orders endorsed under his chairmanship could face legal challenges over their validity, she noted.

According to an NBTC source who requested anonymity, AM Thanapant also submitted a letter to the NBTC secretary-general before yesterday's meeting, reaffirming his willingness to perform his duties and attend board meetings only with the six remaining commissioners.

He argued that allowing Dr Sarana to participate in board meetings would be inconsistent with Sections 18 and 20 of the NBTC Act, which he said create a conclusive legal presumption that Dr Sarana forfeited his right to hold office.

AM Thanapant reserved his right not to attend any meeting involving the NBTC chairman, saying he could not take part in any action he believed would violate the law.

AM Thanapant, Mrs Pirongrong and Mr Suphat, together with former NBTC commissioner Prawit Leesathapornwongsa, were scheduled yesterday to submit new evidence regarding Dr Sarana's qualifications to the parliamentary committee on political development.