Advanced Television

Thailand softens stance on Thai TV

July 21, 2015

By Chris Forrester

A month ago Thailand’s National Broadcasting & Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) wanted to ban Thai TV from all transmission possibilities. Thai TV’s problem was that it wanted to reverse its application for a pair (news and the ‘Loca’ family channel) of costly new digital channels as part of the nation’s roll-out of digital terrestrial TV.

Now, a member of the NBTC, Mrs Supinya Klangnarong, said there was “light at the end of the tunnel” and that the regulator would suggest that Thai TV goes off air for 2-3 months, without penalty, while Thai TV finds a broadcasting partner to help with financing the services.

The deadline for a deal is fast approaching given that Thai TV is currently expected to remove its channels this coming Sunday. However, the official line from the NBTC is that fines will still be collected by means of a guarantee in place with Bangkok Bank, a lender to Thai TV.

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