Thai government to broadcast “ASEAN TV” during Summit

by Usa Pichai
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 18:23

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The Thai government has approved an “ASEAN TV” satellite channel project to be broadcast from October 23, during the 15th ASEAN Summit, even as security was tightened for the event.

Minister to Prime Minister's Office, Sathit Wongnongtoey, announced that the Thai government and the Mass Communication Authority of Thailand (MCOT) would operate an ASEAN TV channel, which aimed to present news, information, culture, tourism and sports of the region.

The programs will be in the native language of each country with English subtitles. “The broadcasting will be done with MCOT 2’s signal channel to several ASEAN member countries. The MCOT and the Thai government would invest about 120 million Baht (3.6 million USD) and the MCOT will manage the business of this channel,” he added.

The new channel will be aired for seven days around the clock, said Sathit Wongnongtoey, starting from 9.30 am on October 23, inaugurating the ASEAN Summit and would report news on the ASEAN Summit with its dialogue partners and news stories of overall meetings.

“The ASEAN TV is expected to be a channel to connect people of the ASEAN community together, in which Thailand would like to be a center of news and information. The program could be extended in case there is good response and more programs. We are confident that this is the first time the ASEAN community will have linkage television between people of the region,” he said, according to a report on the Thai Government’s website.

The minister confirmed that MCOT is ready to produce TV programs, both informative and entertaining programs and there are network organizations from each country to produce programs for the channel.

Panitan Wattanayakorn, Deputy Secretary-General to the Thai Prime Minister, on Tuesday reaffirmed that the country is ready to host the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, while leaders of all member countries have confirmed they would attend the regional pact meeting, which will be held at Cha-am district in Phetchaburi and at Hua-Hin district in Prachuap Khiri Khan from October 23 to 25, 2009 with the highest security measures.

Recently, 6,000 security force members were deployed to heighten security around the summit venue to prevent any violent incidents and to ensure the smooth progress of the summit. The 14th ASEAN Summit in Chon Buri was disrupted with clashes of the anti-government United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and government supporters in April this year.

Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Monday the UDD would not be allowed into meeting venues. He confirmed the government would not allow the recurrence of such disruption, adding that the Internal Security Act had been imposed to ensure full security at the meeting venues and to handle unprecedented situations during the meeting.