Govt to try to shut down PTV if it airs

Bangkok Post, February 22, 2007
ANUCHA CHAROENPO PRADIT RUANGDIT



Station insists it will broadcast on March 1

The government will lodge a complaint asking police to shut down the new satellite television channel PTV, which is linked to the Thai Rak Thai party, if it starts broadcasting on March 1 as scheduled, director-general of the Public Relations Department Pramoj Rathavinij said yesterday. Speaking after a meeting with Prime Minister's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan to decide the fate of PTV, Mr Pramoj said the station had been established illegally, without a licence from the state.


''We are ready to lodge a complaint asking police to arrest them [the PTV operators] if they still launch it in March,'' he said.


Earlier, Mr Thirapat, who supervises government media policy, said the government would no longer allow new community radio, satellite and cable television stations in the country and said existing stations would be regulated and managed by the rule of law.


Mr Thirapat blamed the previous government of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for letting media outlets mushroom so they became out of control.


ASTV's News One Channel, owned by media mogul Sonthi Limthongkul, has also come under fire for being established illegally.


But the satellite channel has been given temporary immunity by the Administrative Court, allowing it to continue broadcasting on grounds of the right to freedom of expression.


Mr Thirapat did not comment on whether PTV would seek the same order from the court. At this stage the government would seek legal ways to block it, he added.


But despite the government's threats, Natthawut Saikua, a Thai Rak Thai member and manager of PTV, insisted yesterday that PTV will begin broadcasting as scheduled on March 1, adding that the station was ready to do anything the government requires to get permission to broadcast.




PTV will be a 24-hour television station and will be broadcast via a Hong Kong-based satellite.


Mr Natthawut said PTV has done everything openly and properly from the beginning, the same as other other satellite channels.


''We want to discuss this issue with Mr Thirapat to find a solution to PTV based on the same legal standard applied to all other satellite channels,'' he said.


Mr Natthawut said PTV, with about 70 employees and programme producers, is now ready to begin broadcasting its content.


The order to forbid the channel from broadcasting will seriously affect the station, he said.


The government's media reform committee chaired by former Ubon Ratchathani senator Niran Pithakwatchara gathered at Ban Manangkhasila to discuss an action plan on media reform.


Dr Niran said his committee planned to gather opinions and information from people nationwide about media reform in the country before drafting the plan.


Public forums would be held soon, he said, adding the panel was given around six months to finish drafting the action plan