Govt Asks For Help Policing Community Radio

[george]

Government asks for help policing radio

Stations refuse to follow telecom rules

BANGKOK: -- The government has turned to the National Telecommunications Commission for help in taking action against community radio stations accused of breaching telecom regulations.

PM's Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva said the NTC will be asked to exercise its power under the 1955 radio broadcasting law against stations found violating telecom regulations.

Last week Manas Songsaeng, deputy secretary-general at the NTC, said the agency was empowered to take action against people using unauthorised radio transmitters. Violators face a 100,000-baht fine and/or a five-year jail term.

The action follows the Public Relations Department's recent findings that most community radio stations in the country were not sticking to regulations, said Mr Suranand.

According to the PRD, when provincial officials approached the 1,911 community radio stations and asked them to abide by the regulations, they refused and even threatened to take the matter to court.

The PRD has been ordered to coordinate with the regulatory body, he said.

Targeted for the crackdown are community radio stations of which transmission signals have interfered with frequencies of Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai).

Under the regulations, community radio stations must limit transmission power to 30 watts and antenna heights to 30 metres above ground, and keep the broadcasting radius to within 15 kilometres. Relay stations are not allowed.

''We'll focus on transmission power at this stage. If interference continues after transmission power is controlled, we'll have to do something about antenna heights,'' he said.

Mr Suranand also stressed that the imminent crackdown will focus on technical matters, not content.

The government came under fire recently when it closed seven community radio stations, including FM 92.25 which was critical of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his policies.

The Community Radio Federation and the association of local radio operators have said they are open to inspection.

Vichian Khuttawas, a coordinator, said the operators are willing to allow authorities concerned to inspect the equipment and give suggestions as well as time for adjustments if the equipment is illegal.

He said the two agencies want inspections to be jointly conducted by state officials, civic groups and academics to ensure transparency. Sakao Sueb-saichua, a key member of the community radio operators, said most operators would cooperate, but would like the regulations to be amended in the future. Ms Sakao said the operators would probably ask that the transmission power be increased to 500 watts, antenna heights to 60 metres and broadcasting radius be extended to cover the whole province.

--The Post 2005-05-29

[Ajarn]

in the future. Ms Sakao said the operators would probably ask that the transmission power be increased to 500 watts, antenna heights to 60 metres and broadcasting radius be extended to cover the whole province.

Bummer... Such a great idea to give local villages a way to share information and education...

Politicized, then commercialized...

The nail in the coffin was the governent's okay to allow paid advertising at 6 minutes per hour....

Yes, the operators will probably ask for 500 watts and 60 meters...

Business is business

[Greer]

...something fishy here - why would a station transmitting at 92.25MHz interfere with aeronautical communications? I was under the impression that the aeronautical communications frequencies are not in the broadcast radio FM band (approx 88MHz to 108MHz) - and if they ARE...then WHY are they there?

The only way it could interfere is if it was not set up properly and the output had sidebands getting into the communications part of the spectrum...normal FM transmissions should have modulation limited to about +/-20KHz beyond which there should be filters to reduce transmision of unwanted sidebands to within acceptable limits.