Thais can use vouchers for sat-TV
October 9, 2014
By Chris Forrester
Thailand’s National Broadcasting & Telecommunications Commission is expected to allow viewers to use its subsidised voucher scheme to buy satellite set-top boxes. Up until now the vouchers could only be used to buy digital terrestrial receivers, or new digitally-equipped TV sets.
“Even though some network operators plan to expand their coverage, we are worrying that some households might not be able to view the digital TV channels. So letting them use the coupons to buy a satellite set-top box will give people another alternative,” Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the NBTC, said yesterday.
He added that many viewers were not able to receive digital terrestrial signals.
October 10th is ‘Voucher Day’ when some 4.64 million households will start receiving their free vouchers. Phase 2, in March next year, will see another 12.4 million homes eligible for the scheme. The firsts batch of vouchers cannot be used until October 20th.