Administrative Court throws out iTV injunction request
The Central Administrative Court has dropped a petition from the embattled broadcaster iTV for an injunction against a PM's Office demand for the repayment of an almost Bt100 billion in debts.
Judge Somphop Pongsawang announced yesterday that the broadcaster had asked the court for an injunction against the PM's office to cancel the iTV concession contract because the broadcaster has yet to pay the Bt100-billion debt. The PM's office asked the court to urge iTV to pay the concession fee of Bt2.2 billion within 30 days since the court's sentence. Somphop said the court considered that the PM's office has the right to drop the contract with iTV. However, iTV has the right to ask for compensation if the cancellation of the contract is done dishonestly. He added the PM's office also has the right to force iTV to pay the debt within 30 days, so the court saw no reason to give an injunction against the order. The PM's Office, which owns the iTV concession, has demanded iTV pay before a March 6 deadline both the unpaid concession fee and a fine for adjusting the ratio of prime-time news-entertainment television programming without its consent. Meanwhile, the PM's Office yesterday received 10 cars and two vans from iTV for auction. Chulayuth Hiranyavasit, head of the Permanent Secretary's Office, said the possessions of iTV were counted as the PM's Office assets. iTV annually reports the list of possessions that are put out of commission to the PM's Office to auction or donate. "It has nothing to do with the debt payment," said Chulayuth. The Nation
|
