Thailand silences TV station
Station taken off air for failing to pay 100 million baht in fees and fines.
Apology
Last week, the government said ITV would come under the control of the state broadcaster, which operates radio stations and the Thai news agency.
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“I would like to apologise. I always realise the importance of media. But there were legal issues and I have to stick to the law” Surayud Chulanont, Thai prime minister |
Surayud Chulanont, the Thai prime minister, apologised to a group of ITV reporters outside Government House for the decision to close the station down.
“I would like to apologise. I always realise the importance of media. But there were legal issues and I have to stick to the law,” he said.
Dhipawadee said it would take a month for the government to decide the future of ITV, the country’s third most popular television station.
Tuesday’s controversial decision, the latest in a line including the imposition of capital controls and a tightening of foreign business ownership laws, has fuelled fears of rising economic nationalism in post-coup Thailand.
Keith Neruda, the head of research of UBS Securities in Bangkok, said: “The push to nationalise ITV is an unfortunate precedent that has increased the risk of investing in Thailand.”
ITV shares have been suspended from trading since Tuesday’s announcement.