Thailand - Broadcasting to 2010

Synopsis

This report was archived in early 2011; it has not been updated since 2010.

The TV broadcasting industry in Thailand continues to wait for the country’s proposed new broadcasting regulator to be put in place. Over the last few years, the government became bogged down in the process of setting up the National Broadcasting Commission, a key element set out in the Broadcasting Frequencies Act (2000). By 2010, however, the strategy had shifted to establishing a totally new entity, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission. This new regulator was expected to be operational by late in 2011. While the country already has a competitive open market, there are numerous issues to be addressed as operators continue to struggle. Issues of convergence with the telecom sector need particular attention. This report presents a market overview. There is also some information on developments in Thailand’s IPTV market.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Broadcasting market
  • 2.1 Overview
  • 2.2 Regulatory environment
    • 2.2.1 Proposed National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)
    • 2.2.2 Broadcasting Act 2008
    • 2.2.3 Other regulatory matters
  • 2.3 Digital TV
  • 2.4 Internet Protocol Television (IPTV)
    • 2.4.1 Advanced Datanetwork Communications Ltd (ADC)
    • 2.4.2 True
    • 2.4.3 TT&T
  • 2.5 Free-to-Air (FTA) TV
    • 2.5.1 Channel 3
    • 2.5.2 Channel 7
    • 2.5.3 TPBS (formerly iTV)
    • 2.5.4 MCOT
  • 2.6 Pay TV
    • 2.6.1 True Visions (formerly United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC))
  • 2.7 Satellite TV
    • 2.7.1 PTV
• 3. Related reports

• Table 1 – Pay TV subscribers – 1996 - 2002
• Table 2 – Pay TV subscribers by platform – 2002 - 2010
• Table 3 – True Visions/UBC - pay TV subscribers – 1998 - 2010
• Table 4 – True Visions – total and FTA subscribers – 2007 - 2010
• Table 5 – True Visions – pay TV ARPU – 2009 - 2010

• Exhibit 1 – FTA TV Broadcasters