STATE TV PRIVATISATION: NGOs muster forces
Published on Jun 21, 2004
Non-governmental organisations yesterday vowed to come out in full force against what they view as attempts to put the control of state television in the hands of private companies.
The NGOs also called on the government to intervene in the privatisation moves by Army-run TV Channel 5 and the Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand - which operates Channel 9 - and a decision by the Public Relations Department (PRD)'s Channel 11 to allow private firms to supply content for its new satellite-based channels.
Supinya Klangnarong, secretary-general of the Campaign for Media Reform, said her organisation and the Campaign for Popular Democracy (CFD) would join forces with other civic groups in opposing any attempt to allow private businesses to control state TV stations.
Critics view "speedy" moves by the management of state |television to allow more pri-|vate business involvement in |the stations as attempts to thwart a constitutional clause requiring establishment of an independent regulatory agency - the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) - to fairly allocate broadcasting frequencies.
The establishment of the NBC has been much delayed.
Supinya said that the opponents of the "untimely" privatisation of state television would take all possible measures to prevent this happening, including a signature campaign.
The groups will today present an open letter to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra opposing the privatisation plans and calling for a clear-cut government stance on the matter, she added.
She was speaking at a press conference on the issue held by NGOs at the Royal Hotel.
Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general of the CFD, said at the press conference that his organisation would petition the Parliamentary Ombudsman to determine whether the PRD director-general and the Army commander-in-chief - as the chairmen of channels 11 and 5, respectively - had caused any public damage or violated the Constitution.
Pipob Thongchai, an adviser to the CFD, praised Prime Minister Thaksin for being decisive about moves by Channel 5 to list an affiliate company in the stock exchange.
The ownership of the firm, RTA Entertainment Plc, is split between Channel 5 and a group of wealthy businesspeople. The company is to handle the station's marketing and airtime sales.
Pipob said the prime minister had acted quickly by ordering an investigation into the matter, adding that this is possibly because the man at the centre of the controversy - Army chief General Chaisit Shinawatra - is a relative.
However, he said that Thaksin in fact had the power to order Channel 5 to freeze all its activities, involving RTA Entertainment's planned listing.
Thaksin said yesterday that the fact-finding committee would be set up this week and selection of the panel members was underway. He said it would consist of at least five people.
The prime minister said the panel would have to establish whether it was lawful for Channel 5 to allow private investors in a company it planned to list on the stock exchange.
The opposition Democrat Party, meanwhile, views the recent moves by the state-run TV stations as an attempt to benefit businesspeople with connections to certain politicians in power.
In a report by its research centre, the party said certain groups of people would eventually stand to gain from the "possibly illegal" moves, both politically and economically.
