Television in Thailand

Thailand television broadcasting started broadcasting on June 24,1955 (in NTSC). Color telecasts (PAL , System B/G 625 lines) were started in 1967. Full-time color transmissions
were launched in 1975. There are currently 26 (onDVB-T2) and 1 on Analog television stations in Thailand.

Contents
Television providers
Analog terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television
Cable television
IP television (IPTV)
Mobile television
Internet television
Popularity of terrestrial TV stations
Thai television content
Thai soap operas
See also
References

Television providers
Subscription providers are available, with differences in the number of channels, capabilities such as the program guide (EPG), video on demand (VOD), high-definition (HD),
interactive television via the red button, and coverage across Thailand. Set-top boxes are generally used to receive these services. Households viewing TV from the internet are not
tracked by the Thai government.

Red Still
Provider Free or pay No. broadcast channels VOD HD Transmission
button Operate?
Analog 6 (switch off complete on July, 16th 2018 expect
Free-to-air No No No Yes Analog terrestrial
terrestrial Channel 3 on March, 25th 2020)
Digital Digital terrestrial
Free-to-air 48 (Full Capacity) 26 (On Air) Yes Yes Yes Yes
terrestrial television
Digital satellite, Cable
TrueVisions Free and Pay TV Around 200 (TV and radio) Yes Yes Yes Yes
television and IPTV
Free (Previously
GMM Z Around 150 Yes Yes No Yes Digital satellite and IPTV
include Pay TV)
Free (Previously
PSI Around 150 (C-band)/100 (KU-band) No Yes No Yes Digital satellite
include Pay TV)
IPM Free Around 100 No Yes No Yes Digital Satellite
Good TV Free and Pay TV Around 100 (Including 11 Paid Channels) No Yes No Yes Digital Satellite

Analog terrestrial television

This is currently the traditional way of receiving television in Thailand, however it has now largely been supplanted by digital providers. There are 6 channels; three of them are
government public-owned by MCOT the 2 television channels terrestrial free-to-air Channel 9 MCOT HD and Channel 3; Channel 5 and BBTV Channel 7 are owned by Royal Thai
Army; NBT and Thai PBS are fully government-owned. Analog terrestrial transmissions were scheduled to be switched off in phases as part of the digital switchover, which was
expected to be completed in2020 in line with ASEAN recommendations, however
, the changeover has yet to come into effect.

Provincial television was discontinued in 1988, replaced by NBT

, which has two hours of local programming in each of the provinces.
 Launch Channel Channel Broadcasting Transmitted Broadcasting Formerly
Name Network Owner End Analog
date (BKK) (Digital) area area hours known as
13
Bangkok (Family)
Bangkok
Entertainment March 26, 32 28 March 25,
Channel 3 Entertainment Bangkok Bangkok 24-hours
Co.ltd 1970 (UHF) (SDTV) 2020
Co.ltd
MCOT 33
(HDTV)[1]
Royal Thai June 21,
HSATV
Army Radio Royal Thai January 2018
Channel 5 5 (VHF) 1 (HDTV) Bangkok Bangkok 24-hours (Channel
and Army 25, 1958
7) (09:29)[2]
Television
Bangkok
Bangkok Broadcasting
Broadcasting and
and Television June 17,
November 35
Channel 7 Television Company 7 (VHF) Bangkok Bangkok 24-hours 2018
27, 1967 (HDTV)
Company Limited (00:00)[3]
Limited (BBTV)
(BBTV) Royal Thai
Army
TTV
Channel
4, TTV
Channel July 16, 2018
Modernine June 30
MCOT MCOT 9 (VHF) Bangkok Bangkok 24-hours 9, MCOT
TV 24,1955 (HDTV) (18:30)[4]
Channel 9
and
Modernine
TV
The
Government
Public TVT 11 or
4:00 am -
Relations July 11, 11 TV July 16, 2018
NBT NBT 2 (HDTV) Bangkok Bangkok Midnight (End
Department 1988 (VHF)
of day)
(Channel) (00:00)[5]
of the Prime 11
Minister's
Office

Thai Public 5:00 am – ITV , TITV June 16,

July 1, 29
Thai PBS Thai PBS Broadcasting 3 (HDTV) Bangkok Bangkok 1:00 am (Next , TPBS , 2018
1996 (UHF)
Service Day) TV Thai (00:00)[6][7][8]

Digital terrestrial television

In 2005, the Ministry of Information announced their plan to digitalize nationwide free-to-air TV broadcasts led by MCOT. Trial broadcasts were undertaken, involving one thousand
households in Bangkok from December 2000 till May 2001. In December 2013, NBTC set up series of auction for DTTV. Four types of licenses are offered as followed: High-Def.
channel license, Standard-Def. channel license, News channel license and Youth/Family channel license. All the major operators and content owners in the industry won the bid for
new licenses e.g. BEC World, Bangkok Broadcasting and TV, GMM Grammy, ThaiRath Newspaper, Nation Multimedia Group, True Visions etc. According to the license condition,
DTTV services launched since April 2014.

Cable television
All national cable TVs in Thailand must accept by MCOT, The first provider is International Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) in 1989, next one is Thai Sky TV in 1991 (but off-
air in 1997). Universal TV cable network (UTV) is the third provider in 1993. But after Asian financial crisis, UTV merged with IBC in 1998, changed its name to United
Broadcasting Corporationor UBC (TrueVisions in present) and be monopoly provider.

IP television (IPTV)
In contrast to Internet TV, IPTV refers to services operated and controlled by a single company
, who may also control the 'Final Mile' to the consumers' premises.

Mobile television
True Move provide mobile television services for reception onthird generation mobile phones. They consist of a mixture of regular channels as well as made for mobile channels with
looped content. True Move H TV now offers more than 20 channels to True-H 3G subscribers who own compatible mobile phones. Yet, True is expected to roll out broadcast mobile
TV services based on DVB-H in the near future.

Internet television
Television received via the Internet may be free, subscription or pay-per-view, multicast, unicast, or peer-to-peer, streamed or downloaded, and use a variety of distribution
technologies. Playback is normally via a computer and broadband Internet connection, although digital media receivers or media centre computers can be used for playback on
televisions, such as a computer equipped withWindows Media Center.

Popularity of terrestrial TV stations

The audience share achieved by each terrestrial channel in Thailand is shown in the first table below. The second table shows the share each channel receives of total TV advertising
spending. Channel 7 is both the most popular and most commercially successful station with just under 50% of the total audience followed by Channel 3 at just under 30%. The other
[9]
terrestrial stations share the remaining 20% of the TV audience between them.

Audience Share:[9]

TV Station (Operator) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 1H[10]
Channel 7 42.4 41.3 42.0 44.7 45.4 43.8 47.5
Channel 3 24.5 25.6 29.5 26.8 27.7 29.5 29.0
Channel 5 8.1 7.3 6.7 7.6 8.6 8.0 6.9
Modernine TV 10.3 10.2 9.2 9.6 9.9 9.7 9.2
NBT 2.9 3.0 2.4 4.9 3.4 3.4 2.4
Thai PBS 11.8 12.6 10.2 6.1 4.9 5.6 5.0

Market Share - Share of total TV advertising spending:[9]

TV Station (Operator) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 1H[10]
Channel 7 28.0 27.4 27.7 31.0 28.0 31.0 31.7
Channel 3 20.8 22.2 22.5 28.0 28.0 27.0 27.0
Channel 5 16.5 16.0 15.9 20.0 20.0 18.0 17.7
Modernine TV 13.9 14.4 14.5 17.0 19.0 20.0 20.0
NBT 2.3 2.8 2.6 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.6
Thai PBS 18.5 17.3 16.9 0 0 0 0

Thai television content

Thai soap operas

Soap operas are a popular genre of Thai television. They are known in Thai as ละครโทรทัศน (RTGS: lakhon thorathat, lit. "television play") or simply ละคร (lakhon,
pronounced [la.kʰɔːn], also spelled lakorn). They are usually shown every night at primetime on Thai television channels and start at 20:30. An episode of a prime-time drama is
usually two hours long (including commercials). Each series usually is a finished story
, unlike Western "cliffhanger" dramas, but rather likeHispanic telenovelas.

A series will run for about three months. It may air two or three episodes a week, the pattern usually being Monday–Tuesday, Wednesday–Thursday or Friday–Sunday. A channel will
air three soap operas simultaneously at any given time. Because they attract the most viewers, each channel competes for the most popular stars.

Thai soap operas have very distinctive, though formulaic, characters and narrative conventions. Though some stray from these conventions, most adhere to them, especially ones that
are very popular among Thai viewers.

They are always about achieving a perfect ending in which the leading characters marry their soulmates and live happily ever after.
The two main lovers are established at the beginning of the series. iewers
V have no difficulties singling them out of the crowd for they tend to be the most popular
soap opera stars of the moment. The male lead role usually calledPhra Ek (พระเอก) as the main actress had namedNang Ek (นางเอก)
The presence of one "bad" female character , sometimes more, is commonplace. This is the person who is totally in love with the male lead and will do all that is
necessary to stop the two would-be lovers from fulfilling their destined ending. She tries everything to be the main actor's girlfriend and always tries to get rid of
the main actress. She is often a stereotypical character who does not hesitate to do bad, bad things to the main actress including trying to steal her boyfriend
before the wedding. She is often a rich girl or comes from a good family background, but has nasty behaviour and is manipulative. Few of these characters are
kind. She is usually a living person, but a few of these characters can be evil, dead women who come back as ghosts. The most popular ones arePoot Mae Nam
Khong or the remake of Pob Pee Fa. Nang Rai or Nang Itcha (นางอิจฉา) is a famous name for Thai viewers.

"Katoei" (กะเทย – man dressed like a woman) are often used ascomic relief. Sapai Look Tung is popular for this role.
In the end, all conflicts in the story must be resolved. Everyone forgives each other. The "bad" guys receive their punishments and the "good" guys receive their
rewards. However, some series end with unsolvable problems such as Poot Mae Nam Khong.
Thai soap operas are oftenmelodramatic to the point of becomingcamp. Most productions are written and produced with the assumption that the more
melodramatic it is, the better. This is why situations are grossly exaggerated, actions are overly theatrical, and screams and shrieks (from the bad female)
numerous.

See also
List of television stations in Thailand
Media of Thailand

References
1. Note - All TV Stations owner by BEC Multimedia Company Limited and Launch date on 25 April 2014 on 16:00
Thailand
( Standard Time)
2. Video of Channel 5 analogue switchoff (https://www.facebook.com/Broadcast.Engineering.NBTC/videos/1853227548073374/)posted by the
Broadcast.Engineering.NBTCFacebook page
3. ภาพวินาทีสุดทาย ของการยุติการออกอากาศในระบบAnalog สถานี ชอง 7 สี ทีวีเพื่ อคุณ....! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Ggitc0Jps) posted by Jaroon
Hminkar Youtube page
4. ชอง MCOT ยุติทีวีอนาล็อก 16/7/2561 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxkjQ4JuYNY&t=4s) posted by DorRorSor Youtube page
5. ชอง NBT ยุติทีวีอนาล็อก 16/7/2561 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld4ihM0AXm8) posted by DorRorSor Youtube page
 6. วินาที ThaiPBS ยุติอนาล็อก (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgFLS1GvZgs) posted by Tanissorn Thanawich Youtube page
7. ETC - การเปิ ดเครื่ องสงแอนะล็อกอีกครั้ง 2:00 หลังจากที่ปิดไปเมื่ อ 0:00 16 มิถุนายน 2561 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I89n6r1ZTI&t=1s) posted by ezybzy
Youtube page
8. Video of Thai PBS analogue switchoff (https://www.facebook.com/Broadcast.Engineering.NBTC/videos/1854832094579586/)posted by the
Broadcast.Engineering.NBTCFacebook page
9. "Analyst Briefing Presentation"(http://mcot.listedcompany.com/misc/analyst_briefing/Analyst_Brifeing_21010.pdf)(PDF). MCOT. March 2, 2011. Retrieved
March 27, 2012.
10. "Analyst Briefing 2Q" (http://mcot.listedcompany.com/misc/analyst_briefing/2Q11_AnalystBriefing.pdf)(PDF). MCOT. August 16, 2011. Retrieved August 14,
2012.

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