MCOT and PRD told to speed up network installation or face consequences

BANGKOK: -- Mass Communications Organisation of Thailand (MCOT) and the Public Relations Department were told by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission to clarify their delay in the installation of infrastructure for digital TV broadcast or face punishments.

NBTC chairman Nathee Sakulrat said Monday that the delay would badly affect the launch of digital TV broadcasts of several TV stations namely Thai Rath, Voice TV and Spring News which have contracted to lease the networks of MCOT.

MCOT earlier informed NBTC that it had decided not to install the networks and but lease the networks from the other service provider because of the protests from the labour union.

MCOT’s project to install the networks was estimated at about 400 million baht while the PRD’s project costs about 900 million baht.

Punishment for delay of the network installation for digital TV ranges from a warning, a fine of 20,000 baht a day to suspension of licence.

-- TNA 2014-07-07

Thai leadership will "punish" them. They better shape up. There is nothing worse than a Thai punishment or petty fine as it is known in the trade.

Hope this don't turn into another goatrope like the 3G Implementation was....just delay-after-delay for one reason or another.

Edited July 8, 201412 yr by Pib

Sorta off-topic but what's the deal with some a$$hat from MCOT banning the TV series 'Dexter' from public broadcasting?

Yeah, it's a bit OTP with dark humour (I think it's hilarious but that's just my opinion) and probably 99% of the Thais didn't watch it--and wouldn't "get it" if they did--but where is General Buzzkill going to stop? How about banning 'Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo' and 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians'??? I'd be down with that although it's still censorship...

Just don't remove 'The Desperate Housewives of New Jersey' (my current fave)