Thai News

The Thai Cable TV Company CTH recently bought the rights to the English Premier League previously broadcast by True Visions.

As well as cable TV, English soccer will now be returning to satellite. CTH has rented transponders from VNA-Sat (at 132 degrees), the Vietnam-based satellite provider, to transmit 125 channels to Thai subscribers. €

CTH will sell its own satellite-TV receivers, which include turquoise KU-band dishes, and set-top boxes. The receivers will be sold by more than 200 local cable operators in Thailand and will be in stock later this month. Customers will have to pay Bt999 for a satellite-TV receiver. Monthly subscriptions are then Bt199 for 79 channels; Bt299 for 107 channels; Bt399 for 120 channels; and Bt899 for 120 channels plus high-definition channels and five EPL channels also in HD.

Thailand may set up a Tourist Court to fast track case involving foreign tourists who would otherwise depart from this country before any lawsuits could be judged by an ordinary court.

According to Tourism & Sports Minister Somsak Purisrisak, the so-called Tourist Court will handle varied criminal and civil lawsuits lodged by foreign visitors against any accused persons in Thailand in relatively prompt fashion, compared to the existing courts of justice which may spend a longer period of time than the plaintiff tourists can wait. Somsak said:

There are so many cases in which plaintiff tourists such as those who may have been robbed or physically assaulted have already departed from the country before they are eventually ruled in court. We've been concerned that such legal snags might inadvertently fail to serve justice or maintain the confidence of the tourists in the safety of their own lives and property while staying in our country.

The Tourist Court might be called on to work day and night.

The government will discuss the idea with the judicial branch and, if it is finally approved, will see to it that legislation will be submitted to the legislative branch for the establishment of the Tourist Court in foreseeable future.

Viacom, the US media conglomerate, is bringing back its MTV channel for Thai audiences.

AppleTool, a satellite TV arm of VR1 Media Group, will operate MTV Thailand with localised content for Thai viewers. The company has hired a satellite transponder from MCOT, the broadcaster of Modernine TV.

The MTV channel will be officially launched next Wednesday on the C-band and Ku-band satellite platforms, which provide access to TrueVisions' free-view package.

Amarit Sukhawanit, the managing director of MTV Thailand, said the firm is spending 100 million baht to promote its channel among youth audiences, who are the main targets for advertisers.

MCOT has also got a license from VIMN to broadcast Nickelodeon channel, a US children's channel. The Nickelodeon channel will be distributed across major platforms including TrueVisions, PSI (C-band) and DTV satellite (Ku-band).

Fahtum pandinsoong (Boundary) is a 2013 Thailand/Cambodia/France documentary by Nontawat Numbenchapol.

Thailand's film censors have banned a documentary about the country's long-running border dispute with neighboring Cambodia.

Boundary tells the story of the Thai-Cambodia conflict through accounts of an ex-soldier who lives near the border, as well as villagers from the two countries. The film also shows scenes from the 2011 political protests in Bangkok that left more than 90 people dead.

Director Nontawat Numbenchapol said that the Culture Ministry's film screening office informed him that they believe the movie's content is a threat to national security and international relations.

The border dispute is currently being considered in international court at the Hague.

Update: Unbanned

26th April 2013. See  article from  bangkokpost.com
See trailer from YouTube

The Thai government film censor has lifted its ban on a documentary film on Thai-Cambodia border conflicts. The reversal marks the first time a ban on a film in Thailand has been lifted.

Directed by Nontawat Numbenchapol, Fah Tam Pan Din Soon , or Boundary , was banned by the sub-committee of the National Film and Video Board on grounds that it was misleading and a threat to national security.

The censor board, however, has asked the filmmaker to cut a portion of background sound from the film. Nontawat agreed to their request to make a slight alteration by muting a few seconds of ambient soundtrack. The scene in question takes place at the New Year celebration at Ratchaprasong intersection. An announcer on stage can be heard saying: Let's count down to celebrate His Majesty the King's 84th anniversary.

The film has now received an age 18-plus rating.

The chief censor Pradit Posew said the sub-committee, which had previously banned the film, acted beyond its jurisdiction. He explained that only the main committee can decide on an outright ban. He also said that protocol should have permitted the director to defend his case in advance of a ban ruling by the committee. Nontawat was given no such opportunity.

This is the first year for booze to be banned for people travelling with a vehicle during Songkran. Victims will be fined up to Bt10,000 and/or jailed for up to six months, Pornthep Siriwanarangsan, director-general of the Unjust Ideas Department, said on Thursday.

The PM's Office last year issued a directive prohibiting anybody travelling in or on a vehicle from consuming alcoholic beverages while the vehicle is moving or parked.

Police at every station across the country have been instructed to strictly enforce the law and ensure that the appropriate monies are extracted.

Drenching battles carried out by people on the back of pick-up trucks during Songkran are now supposedly history as authorities have banned all vehicles from carrying water for the duration of the festival.

The order came during a meeting of the Road Safety Centre to reduce fatalities during the forthcoming Thai New Year holiday.

Strictly targeted by the police over the long weekend will be water carried by vehicles, driving under the influence, speeding, overloaded vehicles and other violations, Deputy Interior Minister Chat Kuldilok said after the meeting.

The tightened regulations will be enforced from April 11-17. So this prohibition will not apply on the main Naklua and Pattaya Songkran special days on 18th and 19th respectively.

The official Songkran holiday will be from April 12-16.