CTH this season

[SantiSuk]

Just for info, CTH Holdings own the internet streaming rights for EPL in Thailand. Unless anyone can produce a document that shows they have been granted those rights by CTH themselves, they are streaming it illegally, so are open to being shutdown should CTH decide to complain - which I'm sure they would do if they decide to offer a streaming service themselves.

 

 

 

Are CTH looking at streaming EPL (or EPL plus the rest of their channels) Chic? Doesn't seem like a smart move as it could cannibalise their more expensive satellite and cable offerings. Thais don't stream TV in any numbers do they? Probably only a few thousand expats might - drop in a bucket.

[Chicog]

The big boys offer streaming free to lure in satellite customers. Like STAR and Fox do with movies.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[SantiSuk]

8 days to go to anniversary of installation and still no word from CTH about renewal. Has anyone else been ignored? Anyone been cut off after just running with it to see what happens?

 

I see from their facebook page that they have recently been recruiting

 

A Finance Director

A Finance Officer

An Accountant

An Account Supervisor

An Admin Officer

 

Those ex-motorcy guys from Isaan that they hired last year obviously didn't work out then.

 

[alfieconn]

8 days to go to anniversary of installation and still no word from CTH about renewal. Has anyone else been ignored? Anyone been cut off after just running with it to see what happens?

 

I see from their facebook page that they have recently been recruiting

 

A Finance Director

A Finance Officer

An Accountant

An Account Supervisor

An Admin Officer

 

Those ex-motorcy guys from Isaan that they hired last year obviously didn't work out then.

 

 

Well SS, they cut me off 3 weeks before my 1yr contract expired as they needed to see my receipt confirming payment, once they saw that they re-connected, the 1 year expiry date was 4 July and i still have had no correspondence or phone calls about re-newing my contract, all channels are still and up and running

Still debating weather to stick with them or change to something like 365 sport.

Edited July 31, 2014 by alfieconn

[Albertosez]

Please try and keep this thread live until after the season has started. I must get something sorted this season, despite still being stuck with " True ". It's pretty nailed on that I will need to buy something else in addition to what I have got - but still not sure what to go for. I don't want to have to confine watching the footy on just 1 TV- I want to watch it on maybe 3 TV in different rooms, depending on what time of day I am watching it. However, I don't want to be scuttling the walls again to hide lots of extra new cables !

[wildfootball]

Cth offering iptv it's called my world. Google it.. It uses android box to watch their channels


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[SantiSuk]

Cth offering iptv it's called my world. Google it.. It uses android box to watch their channels


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

 

Must be the streaming, of which Chicog talks. Makes no sense to me - they desperately need that Finance Director
 

[SantiSuk]

Please try and keep this thread live until after the season has started. I must get something sorted this season, despite still being stuck with " True ". It's pretty nailed on that I will need to buy something else in addition to what I have got - but still not sure what to go for. I don't want to have to confine watching the footy on just 1 TV- I want to watch it on maybe 3 TV in different rooms, depending on what time of day I am watching it. However, I don't want to be scuttling the walls again to hide lots of extra new cables !

 

So you are not like your Avatar at all then Albertosez (whole family on same couch watching same TV 24/7)

 

Have now done a bit of googling to see what I can find out about the CTH/GMM merger. I change my advice now to "Don't wait for anything different to happen resulting from the merger"

 

What seems to be happening is that CTH have acquired the satellite broadcasting subsidiary of GMM (in return for GMM getting 10% of CTH's shares). GMM are giving up on being a channel provider but will keep their content provider channels GMM Club and GMM One. GMM Group is a larger media conglomerate so they will carry on providing Thai TV content, promoting concerts etc.

 

So it looks like CTH will carry on as before, but will include GMM channels in their offering (actually they do that already don't they?). Both companies are hoping that there will be cost-savings from shared staff and rationalisation of channels. Both groups currently pay 2 billion baht for 5 years of the suite of Fox channels - deary me that sounds like an appalling buy (though Rupert doe seem to have got his US series into shape, so I do like some of the FX-D content - Mad Men, Homelands, Californication etc) and there will be some valuable staff synergies. Unfortunately, in terms of skill sets, the PR blurb only holds out the prospect of the merged CTH benefiting from GMMs core broadcaster strength of relationships with satellite dealers, not any hint that GMM are good at customer admin/accounting!). Presumably CTH will be hoping to convert GMM customers to the more expensive CTH offering, or will otherwise keep them on an equivalent of their existing GMM cheaper package.

 

It will be a good thing if CTH are made more financially robust by the merger - in principle that must be the case, but that does not mean that they will necessarily prosper longer term. As we know from press reports on their own CTH lost 3.5 billion baht on the EPL franchise alone last year. I am pretty sure that loss will be stated on a basis of amortising the 5 year EPL franchise cost over 5 years so there will not be the free ride over 4 years now that Chicog was by implication hoping for. The first year is bound to be the worst (not everyone signs up day 1 and there are always significant start-up costs).

 

So, by my reckoning they would need to add say a couple of hundred thousand new customers or GMM converted upgraders to break even, in the absence of other factors. I say that last bit because their is an ominous note somewhere in the PR blurb that they expect to significantly ramp-up advertising revenues going forward. I had thought that the relatively advert free Stadium channels must come with an advert lock-in (apart from the silly icons for Toyota et al that whizz onto the screen for the Thai commentator bit (or is that True?). That small statement to me means we are going to have to suffer more serious distractions. Let's hope it does not reachg US-broadcaster proportions!

 

GMM as a stand-alone broadcaster has been unprofitable to the tune of 200m baht a month. That's chicken-feed if their cost-base now effectively disappears and their customers are retained in the merged entity.

 

CTH has some serious shareholders and clearly those shareholders, in accepting a 10% dilution and gaining some potentially valuable revenues, but little or no cost additionality, think they are onto a winner (or at least a survival straw). I note that 20% of the shares are reserved for future strategic partners - probably code for an acceptance of further dilution by the existing shareholders if times are rough. The group currently gives out an impression of rank amateurism, but GMM does not and they are now 10% shareholders with a supplier interest as well. I would expect CTH to now turn itself around management-wise with also the prospect of some significant marketing/internet input form GMM, who seem to be streets ahead as far as web image would suggest.

 

So guys I'm going to stick my neck out and say that CTH is a survivor and you might as well sign up for some more, unless you are going to go streaming/downloading. There will probably be no additional offerings coming out of the merger (except perhaps more non-EPL packages). I'll put my money where my mouth is and sign up for 15 months (paying for 12) if that deal is still available. Of course you can't always rely on everything you read in the absence of any apparent professional analyst public comment - I'm just an enthusaistic (and somewhat skilled-up) amateur!
 

[wildfootball]

 

Cth offering iptv it's called my world. Google it.. It uses android box to watch their channels


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

 

Must be the streaming, of which Chicog talks. Makes no sense to me - they desperately need that Finance Director
 

 

 

Yes it is streaming. 

[sumrit]

Just for info, CTH Holdings own the internet streaming rights for EPL in Thailand. Unless anyone can produce a document that shows they have been granted those rights by CTH themselves, they are streaming it illegally, so are open to being shutdown should CTH decide to complain - which I'm sure they would do if they decide to offer a streaming service themselves.

 

 

 

AIS stream live EPL matches legally, via an agreement with CTH, to either an Android mobile or Tablet. 

 

I tried connecting my tablet to a large screen TV to watch the football but the app senses the connection and turns off the video due to copyright infringement.

 

Works great on the tablet and phone though. Good quality pictures and no buffering. 

[Sparkles]

 

Please try and keep this thread live until after the season has started. I must get something sorted this season, despite still being stuck with " True ". It's pretty nailed on that I will need to buy something else in addition to what I have got - but still not sure what to go for. I don't want to have to confine watching the footy on just 1 TV- I want to watch it on maybe 3 TV in different rooms, depending on what time of day I am watching it. However, I don't want to be scuttling the walls again to hide lots of extra new cables !

 

So you are not like your Avatar at all then Albertosez (whole family on same couch watching same TV 24/7)

 

Have now done a bit of googling to see what I can find out about the CTH/GMM merger. I change my advice now to "Don't wait for anything different to happen resulting from the merger"

 

What seems to be happening is that CTH have acquired the satellite broadcasting subsidiary of GMM (in return for GMM getting 10% of CTH's shares). GMM are giving up on being a channel provider but will keep their content provider channels GMM Club and GMM One. GMM Group is a larger media conglomerate so they will carry on providing Thai TV content, promoting concerts etc.

 

So it looks like CTH will carry on as before, but will include GMM channels in their offering (actually they do that already don't they?). Both companies are hoping that there will be cost-savings from shared staff and rationalisation of channels. Both groups currently pay 2 billion baht for 5 years of the suite of Fox channels - deary me that sounds like an appalling buy (though Rupert doe seem to have got his US series into shape, so I do like some of the FX-D content - Mad Men, Homelands, Californication etc) and there will be some valuable staff synergies. Unfortunately, in terms of skill sets, the PR blurb only holds out the prospect of the merged CTH benefiting from GMMs core broadcaster strength of relationships with satellite dealers, not any hint that GMM are good at customer admin/accounting!). Presumably CTH will be hoping to convert GMM customers to the more expensive CTH offering, or will otherwise keep them on an equivalent of their existing GMM cheaper package.

 

It will be a good thing if CTH are made more financially robust by the merger - in principle that must be the case, but that does not mean that they will necessarily prosper longer term. As we know from press reports on their own CTH lost 3.5 billion baht on the EPL franchise alone last year. I am pretty sure that loss will be stated on a basis of amortising the 5 year EPL franchise cost over 5 years so there will not be the free ride over 4 years now that Chicog was by implication hoping for. The first year is bound to be the worst (not everyone signs up day 1 and there are always significant start-up costs).

 

So, by my reckoning they would need to add say a couple of hundred thousand new customers or GMM converted upgraders to break even, in the absence of other factors. I say that last bit because their is an ominous note somewhere in the PR blurb that they expect to significantly ramp-up advertising revenues going forward. I had thought that the relatively advert free Stadium channels must come with an advert lock-in (apart from the silly icons for Toyota et al that whizz onto the screen for the Thai commentator bit (or is that True?). That small statement to me means we are going to have to suffer more serious distractions. Let's hope it does not reachg US-broadcaster proportions!

 

GMM as a stand-alone broadcaster has been unprofitable to the tune of 200m baht a month. That's chicken-feed if their cost-base now effectively disappears and their customers are retained in the merged entity.

 

CTH has some serious shareholders and clearly those shareholders, in accepting a 10% dilution and gaining some potentially valuable revenues, but little or no cost additionality, think they are onto a winner (or at least a survival straw). I note that 20% of the shares are reserved for future strategic partners - probably code for an acceptance of further dilution by the existing shareholders if times are rough. The group currently gives out an impression of rank amateurism, but GMM does not and they are now 10% shareholders with a supplier interest as well. I would expect CTH to now turn itself around management-wise with also the prospect of some significant marketing/internet input form GMM, who seem to be streets ahead as far as web image would suggest.

 

So guys I'm going to stick my neck out and say that CTH is a survivor and you might as well sign up for some more, unless you are going to go streaming/downloading. There will probably be no additional offerings coming out of the merger (except perhaps more non-EPL packages). I'll put my money where my mouth is and sign up for 15 months (paying for 12) if that deal is still available. Of course you can't always rely on everything you read in the absence of any apparent professional analyst public comment - I'm just an enthusaistic (and somewhat skilled-up) amateur!
 

 

Good summation Santisuk. Two important things I don't understand with CTH,amongst many. (1) The frustration for customers ringing the call centre and either it not being answered or not getting the information required and (2) Why on earth not have a sales /service centre in cities as big as CM.Even the previously hopeless TRUE at least had somewhere you could go and talk to someone.

 

If the latter idea didn't create more business ,which is urgently required, I would be very surprised.Lets hope the investors have deep pockets or discover some marketing vision.

 

 

[wilai]

Went to their Head Office yesterday (had a meeting on Suk not far away) and agreed arrangement to pay monthly this year. This included 200btpm for extra box. Sorted face to face, signed, done and dusted!

 

eerrrr no......Phone call this eve from the same office, wants 650btpm for 2nd box...WTF. Have the original signee's number but amazingly (ok is after hours) no answer.

 

Looks like Astro may be getting the nod after all....if I can find a distributor close enough to Ban Chang

 

Message to those who haven't yet had the privilege of going CTH.....find a bar, it is less hassle

[uptheos]

Went to their Head Office yesterday (had a meeting on Suk not far away) and agreed arrangement to pay monthly this year. This included 200btpm for extra box. Sorted face to face, signed, done and dusted!

 

eerrrr no......Phone call this eve from the same office, wants 650btpm for 2nd box...<deleted>. Have the original signee's number but amazingly (ok is after hours) no answer.

 

Looks like Astro may be getting the nod after all....if I can find a distributor close enough to Ban Chang

 

Message to those who haven't yet had the privilege of going CTH.....find a bar, it is less hassle

 

I didn't have a problem with CTH all last season and getting PLTV was a bonus.

I can understand people going after better deals via the Internet, but for me I'll stick for now.

Much rather take my chance on the dish, than the Internet going down.

 

 

[wilai]

 

Went to their Head Office yesterday (had a meeting on Suk not far away) and agreed arrangement to pay monthly this year. This included 200btpm for extra box. Sorted face to face, signed, done and dusted!

 

eerrrr no......Phone call this eve from the same office, wants 650btpm for 2nd box...<deleted>. Have the original signee's number but amazingly (ok is after hours) no answer.

 

Looks like Astro may be getting the nod after all....if I can find a distributor close enough to Ban Chang

 

Message to those who haven't yet had the privilege of going CTH.....find a bar, it is less hassle

 

I didn't have a problem with CTH all last season and getting PLTV was a bonus.

I can understand people going after better deals via the Internet, but for me I'll stick for now.

Much rather take my chance on the dish, than the Internet going down.

 

 

 

Astro isn't internet based O's. It is about as far removed from that as you can get 

 

If you think paying 650btpm for a 2nd box is good value then up to you.

 

One word of advice...don't get locked in to a long term contract, as half of their "Head Office" appeared to be in lockdown! Security wouldn't even let me get to the back office (no problems this time last year). Looking at what was going on convinced me to go monthly this time. And true to form, the goalposts were moved 24hrs later. I've not knocked them before but they do appear to have big problems.. (and as for their designated Customer Services Office, one TV, 10 unmatched swivel chairs, a laptop and 25 empty coffee cups(with straws!). Seriously, I doubt any other company in Thailand could beat these guys for unprofessionalism!

 

That said, until I jump to Astro, I am still relying on one box....899btpm. No way am I doing yearly in advance!

[SantiSuk]

From a business perspective it is pretty terrifying that they have apparently no procedures to ensure last seasons customers remain as customers - indeed it seems they work on the principle that you the customer have to fight like a dog to keep us.

 

I wonder how many customers they are going to lose over the next few months just through neglect.

 

That said it would be cutting off a nose to spite the face to drop them in the absence of any quality signal alternative (patchy TOT landline here). Glad I don't need a second box though - 650 baht is taking the michael. There must be a mini-industry to grow-up around illicit bluetoothing/cabling second TVs from a prime sole box.

[Albertosez]

From a business perspective it is pretty terrifying that they have apparently no procedures to ensure last seasons customers remain as customers - indeed it seems they work on the principle that you the customer have to fight like a dog to keep us.
 
I wonder how many customers they are going to lose over the next few months just through neglect.
 
That said it would be cutting off a nose to spite the face to drop them in the absence of any quality signal alternative (patchy TOT landline here). Glad I don't need a second box though - 650 baht is taking the michael. There must be a mini-industry to grow-up around illicit bluetoothing/cabling second TVs from a prime sole box.

No- I am a " room to room " man throughout the day and then at 6 bells it's outside and watch the TV on the patio with a beer or two. That is why I am looking for a solution where I can see the footy in various rooms. I think I mentioned earlier that I havens " adapters " / signal boxes that send " True " to all my TVs and it wasn't cheap to set up. I am loath to start that all over again with a different provider or have to re- cable everything with additional set top boxes ! It's a shame really - but I need to keep away from the bar coverage ( Jim Royale doesn't disturb anyone but his nearest and dearest - and that works well for me too if I stay at home )!
My bro ( in Philippines ) uses some internet facility to watch his ex pat stuff and manages to pick up sky sports ( free ) and then uses Air Parrot to switch the screen from his lap top to the main TV. Obviously a streaming facility which all sounds a bit complex, but the thought of new sat dishes, set top boxes and cables is making me feel ill already !
Anyway, thanks for your in depth posts about this - they are useful and appreciated. My lot plays in the next league down so I won't get to see much of them anyway- but really did miss the EPL last season. Mind you I can bake nice buns now after watching all those cooking programs !

[SantiSuk]

You need GMM for the Championship if I recall correctly.