The contract allows the television station to seek mediation by a three-member panel of arbitrators to revise its concession fees if authorities allowed advertising to be broadcast on cable television.

Arbitration granted iTV reduced fee payments to the government and allowed the broadcaster to reduce its news content.

The Central Administrative Court ruled last year in favour of the government and overturned the arbitration decision. It ordered iTV to pay full concession fees and restore news content. iTV appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court. The court insisted it would consider it only if the Administrative Court could overturn the arbitration ruling, not the iTV contract proper.

Telecoms tax probed

The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) will decide on Wednesday if it will investigate "unfair" excise-duty treatment given to private telecommunications companies.

AEC member Banjerd Singkaneti and his panel have considered the legal merits of the complaint and will forward their findings by Wednesday.

Representatives from the labour unions of TOT and CAT Telecom filed a joint complaint with the AEC against an amendment to the Excise Tax Act of 2003 by the previous government.

The change allowed private telecom companies holding State concessions to deduct excise payments from revenue-sharing with TOT and CAT.

Electoral-fraud witnesses

Five political parties accused of electoral fraud are tomorrow expected to file the names of witnesses they intend to call in their defence.

The parties could be dissolved if convicted.

The allegations are being heard by the Constitution Tribunal. The parties will explain to the tribunal why each witness is being called.

The accused parties are the Thai Rak Thai, Democrat, Thai Ground, Pattana Chat Thai and the Progressive Democratic.