The Ministry of Information has closed down multiple radio stations that have been renting airtime to the opposition CNRP party and to two radio news organisations that have been under fire from the government. The government has been battling Radio Free Asia and Voice of America over claims that they have been operating in the country without proper licences and without paying taxes.

 

According to a decision issued on Monday, the Information Ministry has closed about 10 radio stations, including ones that were renting airtime to VOA, RFA and the CNRP, as well as the Voice of Democracy news organisation. Ouk Kimseng, an undersecretary of state at the ministry, said the decision to shut the stations, which broadcast in the capital as well as a number of provinces, was due to them breaking contracts made with the ministry to update it on whom they rented airtime to.

 

“In the past, those radio stations have discussed exactly with the ministry about any programs and everything else that is not their own, by reporting to the ministry,” he said. “But now they have always violated that agreement, doing whatever they want, and they did not report to the ministry as stated in the contract.”

 

read more http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5079678/plug-pulled-critics-airtime/

 

 

-- © Copyright Khmer Times 24/08

I remember when I was in the US Army serving in Germany I was sent to investigate security concerns at an radio station that was strategically important as it supported radio free Europe in E Germany. The station had such power we could hear the broadcast 10 feet from the transmission towers without a radio. It had a huge emergency generator on site. It was powerful enough to broadcast all over Central Europe. This was in the mid 1970's. It seems as Thailand is basically flat a station could cover the entire nation from outside borders.  

Edited August 24, 20178 yr by Grumpy Duck
The dog did it