The Cabinet yesterday approved the transformation of TITV, to become a service delivery unit (SDU) under the supervision of the Public Relations Department, and relaxed disbursement rules and regulations related to its income.

PM's Office Minister Khunying Dhipavadee Meksawan said the relaxation would allow the Public Relations Department (PRD) to disburse money collected from TITV to finance the station's operations.

Since March 8, when iTV's broadcasting licence was revoked and the station was renamed TITV and fell under the control of the PRD, all revenue has been collected by the department, but it has been unable to disburse it, leaving the station to live on a limited budget. Recently, programme producers loaned the station Bt8 million to help it to continue to operate.

TITV staff members have not received their salaries since March, and have complained about the need to travel into the provinces without allowances.

PRD director-general Pramote Ratvinit said his department had so far received revenue of Bt130 million from TITV.

"This money will now be used to pay for operations and salaries for staff. We expect that this will cost about Bt70 million, based on actual expenses and invoices that we have gathered," he said, adding that all TITV staff will receive their overdue salaries at the end of this month. They will be paid as "protectors of broadcasting equipment".

"The PRD is now authorised to pay the staff. What we need to do now is consider how to pay them and the employment pattern," he said.

Dhipavadee said five executive members would soon be appointed to ensure the transformation of TITV to an SDU.

PM's Office permanent secretary Chulayuth Hiranyavasit said the office now needed to announce the transformation of the TV station in the Royal Gazette.

Following the appointment of the executive members, the office will need to issue regulations on staff, budget allocations and supervision, and these will need Finance Ministry approval.

"It will take a while for this transformation to be complete. It took us six months to complete the transformation of the secretary office's printing house to an SDU. We expect it will take four months to complete the transformation of TITV," Chulayuth said.