Picture: Siam Rath

 

With just nine days to go before the biggest show on earth kicks off - the 2022 World Cup in Qatar - it looks as though Thais may not get to see the event on national TV after all.

 

Siam Rath reported comments by the chief of the Sports Authority of Thailand after the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission stepped in with 600 million baht from a fund.

 

There is still a 1 BILLION baht shortfall for the rights to broadcast the event.

 

This will need to be made up by the private sector, said Dr Kongsak Yortmanee.

 

And so far no one has stepped up to the plate to offer the money. 

 

"It's not sure that Thais will get to watch the World Cup," he said ominously.

 

He said he had no idea where a figure of 1.2 billion baht had come from. The figure was 1.6 billion and the SAT has so far received just 600 million.

 

He said that the SAT had been in touch with FIFA to discount the rights money as Thailand very much wanted to broadcast the games.

 

He said that people would just have to "wait and see" what transpires. 

 

ASEAN NOW notes that for decades the quadrennial tournament has been shown on terrestrial Thai TV and in many past years there have been situations akin to this. 

 

But a way has always been found to satisfy football mad Thais.

 

It is possible that last minute brinkmanship and wheeler dealing by big players in the private sector is underway before an announcement is made. 

 

For many, the idea that the tournament would not be shown free-to-air in the kingdom is unthinkable. 

Watch this space. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-11-11

 

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Let me just check down at the back of my couch. 

????

Quote

He said that the SAT had been in touch with FIFA to discount the rights money as Thailand very much wanted to broadcast the games.

 

A bung under the table to Blatter and co should do it.

Why should taxpayers pay for people watching sport?

I am sure there will be options to pay for it and then watch it.

Pay for it!

Or grab a ball and play it in real.

I am sure the results will be published somewhere for free.

 

 

4 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Why should taxpayers pay for people watching sport?

I am sure there will be options to pay for it and then watch it.

Pay for it!

 

 

 

 

Agree 100% - why should football be 'free to view' when other sports e.g. F1 you have to pay for

Always going cap in hand looking for a free handout.  Yet this Gov buys fighter jets and submarines they don't need.  The big monopoly companies can pony up some cash and they wouldn't feel it at all.  This Gov has given then whatever they want ... Do something good for the country.

A days profit, if that, for CP........how about they hand something back to the Thais for a change.....instead of take, take, take.

FIFA is unlikely to reduce the price, as this will encourage similar behavior in 2026 and beyond. And the countries that already paid full price might demand a refund if Thailand gets a break?

 

If anything FIFA should charge Thailand MORE. Like a last-minute airline ticket.

 

Obviously the money will be found, but the incompetence is, ok, so Thai.

 

Seen some reports that ~ 50 billion baht will be wagered. Seems like the government should get the gambling mafia to pony up the 2% to pay?

 

 

 

 

 

Those Thais who can speak English can watch and listen to live matches on the BBC and ITV.....with a VPN of course.

 

Sadly, not too many Thais can understand English.

SAT Waits for FIFA’s Response to Its B600m Budget for World Cup Broadcasts

 

 

BANGKOK, Nov 11 (TNA) – The Sports Authority of Thailand was waiting for FIFA to respond to its proposal for Thailand to buy rights to live broadcasts of FIFA World Cup 2022 at 600 million baht.

On Nov 9, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission allocated 600 million baht from the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Research and Development Fund for Public Interest for the SAT to buy the live broadcast right.

 

The SAT earlier sought 1.6 billion baht to match FIFA’s quotation.

 

Full story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-1055911

 

-- © Copyright Thai News Agency 2022-11-11

 

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But....................Prawit promised!

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

Seen some reports that ~ 50 billion baht will be wagered.

When people bet so much money then why don't the same people pay for watching for their gamble?

And they don't even have to watch. I am sure the results will be published for free.

 

We've only got 600 Million Baht .......looks like they are trying to get it on the cheap

at the last minute , when they could have planned it a lot better, they only had 4 years,

could have cancelled the Sub with no engine ,and give some joy to the Thai people, who

are mostly football crazy ..

 

regards worgeordie 

19 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

When people bet so much money then why don't the same people pay for watching for their gamble?

And they don't even have to watch. I am sure the results will be published for free.

 

"And they don't even have to watch. I am sure the results will be published for free."

you just don't get it , You have a 100 Baht on a team to win a game , it's much more

exciting  watching said game , the ups and downs of it , better than just seeing results,

many people could not afford to pay for it , and no other way to view ,unless the Government 

comes up with the cash .

regards worgeordie

2 hours ago, huangnon said:

A bung under the table to Blatter and co should do it.

I'm sure Blatter would love it if you paid him a bung but I don't think it would do much to help, since he has been banned from any involvement in FIFA activities since 2015.

2 hours ago, JoePai said:

Agree 100% - why should football be 'free to view' when other sports e.g. F1 you have to pay for

Because football is the people's game. 

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

If anything FIFA should charge Thailand MORE. Like a last-minute airline ticket.

why?

17 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Thai people, who

are mostly football crazy

No, they are (illegal) gambling crazy. The gambling seems to be the important part, not the football. 

A big chance for Thaksin to increase his popularity here.

Negotiations held with FIFA to reduce cost of World Cup TV rights for Thailand

 

A man takes a picture of a FIFA World Cup trophy replica in front of the Al-Bayt Stadium in al-Khor on November 10, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup football tournament. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

 

The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) is negotiating with FIFA and its agent, seeking to reduce the US$36 million price tag for the World Cup broadcast rights for Thailand. The month long World Cup 2022 kicks off on November 20th.

 

Meanwhile, a company executive, who claims to have had a previous World Cup broadcast rights deal, suggested that the government recheck the broadcast contract, to make sure that Thailand is not being overcharged by FIFA’s agent.

 

SAT Governor Kongsak Yodmanee said yesterday (Thursday) that the 600-million baht, promised by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), covers just part of the 1.33 billion baht being sought by FIFA for the broadcast rights and that he is not sure that FIFA and its agent will agree to reduce the price further, because they have already discounted it from US$38 million to US$36 million.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/negotiations-held-with-fifa-to-reduce-cost-of-world-cup-tv-rights-for-thailand/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-11-11

 

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29 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

"And they don't even have to watch. I am sure the results will be published for free."

you just don't get it , You have a 100 Baht on a team to win a game , it's much more

exciting  watching said game , the ups and downs of it , better than just seeing results,

many people could not afford to pay for it , and no other way to view ,unless the Government 

comes up with the cash .

regards worgeordie

I would also prefer to see the girls in the bars dancing for free.

Will the government also pay for them?

At least they are Thais who spend that money again in Thailand.

 

Or in other words: There is no human right to watch international football. And the world survived without it for millions of years.

25 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Because football is the people's game. 

Then let the people play that game - not watch it.

Seems that Thailand should be talking to the FIFA 'sales agent' Infront as they have the media rights for the Qatar WC.

Singapore just signed up ten days back and needed to pay $22m, an increase of 10% on the 2018 deal.

https://media.sportbusiness.com/2022/11/fifa-and-infront-secure-world-cup-value-increase-in-singapore/

This article also makes mention of the status of the Thailand deal and the fact that similar deals involved a high degree of brinkmanship.

Interestingly, the name 'Infront' would be familiar to those who follow past FIFA deals. They were involved in the media rights for the 2018 WC and were, at that time, headed by a chap called Blatter. This being the nephew of a certain similarly named chap who headed FIFA. Hmm.

Since when they have been taken over by Wanda Group, but continued with the younger Blatter as CEO of Infront. So, that's Ok then.  

34 minutes ago, bannork said:

A big chance for Thaksin to increase his popularity here.

I wonder if the current coup PM would accept it if offered!

Up until quite a long time ago, such events were always on free-to-air TV in the UK.

"For many, the idea that the tournament would not be shown free-to-air in the kingdom is unthinkable."

 

The Government has to know how important this is for them - 

 

“Football, beer, and above all, gambling filled up the horizon of their minds. To keep them in control was not difficult…” George Orwell, '1984'

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Because football is the people's game. 

And F1 is the people's sport

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Why should taxpayers pay for people watching sport?

I am sure there will be options to pay for it and then watch it.

Pay for it!

Or grab a ball and play it in real.

I am sure the results will be published somewhere for free.

 

 

It is a form of vote buying but getting the citizens to use their own money to buy their own votes. The unseen part is that the criminals who organize illegal football gambling will make a lot more money, if the games are on TV and they are willing to pay big money under the table to make that happen. Then they can be pushed for campaign contributions for the elections next year too.

AIS and True are ominously silent. BBBOOOOO! Caught you, hiding behind the veneer of poverty.

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

We've only got 600 Million Baht .......looks like they are trying to get it on the cheap

at the last minute , when they could have planned it a lot better, they only had 4 years,

could have cancelled the Sub with no engine ,and give some joy to the Thai people, who

are mostly football crazy ..

 

regards worgeordie 

The exact same thing happened 4 years ago.