Put down your remote controls, zappers! True IPTV has launched Thailand's first "personalised TV service".

As part of the new Video on Demand service from True Corp, viewers can choose the programmes they want at any time that suits their busy schedules.

Programmes on offer are produced by its six partners - all leading content providers in their respective fields - namely XACT, Asia Television and Media, JSL, Lucks 666, UBC-True and Comedy Line.

However True IPTV - Internet Protocol TV - is currently only available to True's 300,000 high-speed Internet customers in Greater Bangkok.

Despite this small pool, these Internet subscribers offer a lucrative demographic of medium-to-high income, educated and interactive urbanites for producers and marketers to target.

Asia Television and Media plans to list the names of doctors, their expertise, and the addresses of their practices on True IPTV. So, for instance, someone with a weak heart can conveniently and almost immediately locate the nearest cardiologist.

"There is a shift in people's general behaviour and the a-la-carte nature of True IPTV is good news for Thailand," Dr Yuwadee Boonkrong, managing director of Asia Television & Media, said yesterday.

 "We know that these audiences, first of all, thirst for new knowledge and are family-oriented. So we cater to those two main needs. Entertainment, for them, is less important," said Paisit Vatjanapagorn, True Corp director and general manager of Broadband Broadcast Multimedia.

Still, there are plenty of choices for those who want to be entertained. Viewers can watch Channel [V] International, Trace TV (a music channel spun off from Trace Magazine), Movie World, and Fashion TV.

In addition to the free terrestrial channels, Paisit hopes to build a library of TV programmes on the back of Video on Demand.

Currently there are a total of 10 channels. Viewers can already watch some of the programmes by the six partners on True IPTV.

Unlike broadband television, which can only be watched on the computer, IPTV allows you to watch programmes from any television set with the appropriate modems and connection. And the quality of the images is not dependent upon the bandwidth.

With the phone network a bottleneck, True IPTV is looking to reach 300,000 subscribers within the next 18 to 24 months.

"It is a matter of when," said Paisit on True's quest to educate Thai consumers about this new media option.

Tsui Ki Nan

The Nation