4,500 Thai radio stations register to go legal

More than 4,500 community radio stations in Thailand have registered under a National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) scheme to become legal broadcasters, the Bangkok Post reports. 

About 95 percent of the country’s community radio stations have signed up for the 300-day trial licence. Registration closes on 24 August, Col Natee Sukolrat, Chairman of the NTC’s community radio working group, said on Tuesday.

Stations which did not register by this Monday’s deadline but continued to operate would be considered illegal, he said. While the commission could not shut down stations that failed to register, it could take action against them for illegal broadcasting, he said. The NTC could file complaints with the police against stations which operate without a licence and charge them for the unlicensed use of transmitters and radio frequencies.

Community stations which have registered under the scheme can broadcast for 300 days but their programme content must not incite political unrest and violence, offend the monarchy or disrupt social morals. Breaking any of the conditions could lead to the withdrawal of broadcasting rights, Mr Sukolrat said.

He said the NTC had classified three types of community stations according to their content: public service, community programming and business.

Source: Media Network, Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union