From: kamol@munnari.oz.AU (Kamol Hengkietisak)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Aug 25: Govt yet to decide on new TV stations.
Date: 26 Aug 1992 16:04:29 +1000
Organization: Mail/News gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: munnari.oz.au

     THE CABINET yesterday agreed to overhaul the controversial 
Broadcasting Control Board, a move aimed at improving media 
freedom, but deferred until next week a decision on proposed new 
television channels.
     The broadcast board, seen as one of the main tools of 
censorship and political control, was replaced by a new 20-man 
National Board for Radio and Television Activities , comprising 
well-known academics and representatives of non-governmental 
organisations such as Dr Prawase Wasi, Sopon Suphaphong and 
Phaiboon Wattanasiritham.
     Ex officio membership of military and police officers has 
been cut, giving the new board's civilian and non-bureaucratic 
members more weight.
     Their new duties will place greater emphasis on ensuring 
freer and more balanced radio and television news.
     The ministers decided they need another week to examine 
complicated proposals to allocate five new ultra-high frequency 
(UHF) television channels.
     The document was described as only ten or more pages, but 
difficult to absorb.
     "The prime minister asked the ministers to read it 
carefully," said PM's Office Minister Mechai Viravaidya. He 
praised the drafters, Science and Technology Minister Phaichitr 
Uathavikul and Deputy Commerce Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula.
     They "have done a lot of homework" and "tried to preserve the 
national interest", Mr Mechai said.
     The Cabinet proposed holding public hearings during the last 
few days of the interim government's term to allow a broader range 
of opinions to be heard, and to increase public understanding of 
the government's intentions.
     "I believe that next week there will definitely be a 
conclusion," Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun said after 
yesterday's unusually-long Cabinet meeting.
     He stressed that no contracts would be signed by his 
government.
     "Whatever happens, we'll be submitting plans for the next 
government," he told reporters at Government House. "This 
government will not open up any bidding for the two private 
channels."
     He and Dr Phaichitr offered different interpretations of the 
public hearings that would be held if next week's Cabinet meeting 
agrees to the proposals.
     Mr Anand said a committee might be set up to listen to a 
wider range of opinions from the public than has been possible in 
the past few weeks of planning.
     Dr Phaichitr said his proposal-drafting committee would hold 
the hearings to clarify to the public the Anand government's 
reasons for setting out the terms of reference. This, he said, 
would help the public to react to final decisions made by the next 
government.
     "We hope to have sufficient time to conduct public hearings 
so that the public is sufficiently well-versed in the criteria we 
are leaving behind," he said.
     Dr Phaichitr has rejected a proposal that two large 
consortiums be set up to operate the two private UHF channels, out 
of about ten companies that have expressed an interest.
     He said yesterday that the package he submitted to the 
Cabinet allowed free bidding for the right to operate the 
channels. The bids would be judged by the quality of programming 
proposed, he said, and provisions would include a requirement that 
shareholding be available to the public.
     He declined to reveal any other details, saying full 
disclosure would be made after the Cabinet reaches a decision.
     Dr Phaichitr kept open the possibility that the Cabinet might 
decide next week to do nothing.
     He said there were no disagreements among ministers yesterday 
because they had no time to study and debate the proposals.
     "Since it is an important decision they asked for more time," 
he said.
     He added that the next government would be free to do as it 
pleases with the proposals.
     The proposal-drafting committee took into account the four 
main principles in drafting its proposals: The two new channels 
will not be monopolised, the programming must be high-quality, the 
broadcasting networks must cover the entire country, and the 
financial package must be attractive for the state.
     The proposals also included punishment clauses to make sure 
that once awarded the project, investors will comply with its 
conditions, Mr Phaichitr said.
     The regulation appointing the new broadcast board empowers it 
to set up sub-committees to receive and consider complaints from 
the public, and to protect radio and television staff from 
political or other pressure.
     The new board is required to ensure that radio and television 
provide a genuine public service.
     The state electronic media are required to "promote 
knowledge, understanding, responsibility and awareness in matters 
concerning democratic government under a monarchy."
     The board should see that radio and television provide 
information and an exchange of views to create "good and correct 
understanding," taking into consideration the public's right to 
information.
     Radio and television should also promote education, morality, 
arts and entertainment, and maintain standards of decency, the 
regulation says. They should aid development, improve the quality 
of life and promote environmental protection, it adds.
     A decision to withdraw a licence or to close a station 
requires a two-thirds majority of the board.
     The non-ex officio members are:
     o Saman Ngamsanit, head of the communications arts committee 
of Sukhothai Thammathirat University;
     o Theeraphol Phoorat, dean of Bangkok University's 
Communications Arts Faculty;
     o Niran Chiwasantikarn, dean of Yonok University's 
Communications Arts Faculty;
     o Prawase Wasi, chairman of the Local Community Development 
Foundation;
     o Sopon Suphapong, president of Bang Chak Petroleum and 
secretary of the Creative Media Foundation;
     o Phaiboon Wattanasiritham, director of the Thailand Rural 
Reconstruction Movement foundation;
     o M.R. Chalermsuk Boonthai, secretary of the National Women's 
Council; and
     o Pradit Chiaosakul, president of the Consumer Protection 
Society.
     The government proposals for the five UHF channels remain 
unchanged from last week, according to Mr Anand's summary.
     One channel would be held in reserve for future unspecified 
use, one would be for local re-broadcast of existing channels in 
areas with poor reception, one would be educational and would come 
under the Universities Bureau, and the remaining two would be 
privately-operated.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai