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Published on January 18, 2008

Hundreds of employees asked the court to issue the injunction following the abrupt closure of the station on Tuesday.

The court agreed to hear arguments but decided against an injunction now.

In line with the Thai Public Broadcasting Act, the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (TPBS) will take over the assets, liabilities and frequency of TITV. It will operate the country's first public television station from next month.

TPBS yesterday ran a test programme alerting viewers to the new public television. The message was broadcast in tandem with documentaries on the life of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana.

The broadcasts aired between 3.20pm and 5.10pm. This will continue until January 31. TPBS is due to commence proper broadcasts the next day, February 1.

Appearing on the programme called "The start of TPBS" were its chairman Kwansuang Atibhodi, board member Apichart Thongyou, Rangsit University's Anusorn Srikaew and Chatchai Chuaraman, of the public television support group.

The channel's acting president Thepchai Yong said the programme informed viewers about the start of public television, and the act.

"The stoppage of TITV to air at midnight of January 14 left the public in the dark about what happened. We needed to inform them of the history and the reason why public television has been born," he said.

Kwansuang said more than 2,000 people had applied for jobs at the station on Wednesday and yesterday.

Among them were former TITV news staff including Chairat Thomya and Paweenamai Baikhloy and technicians. He said some 400 application forms were given to TITV staff. Most were yet to submit applications because they had waited to hear the court's decision at 1pm yesterday.

In a related development, the Confederation for Democracy asked the court yesterday to rule invalid the Cabinet's appointment of an acting board for TPBS.

The group argues this is against the act's objectives for free media.

Another group calling itself June 24 Democracy yesterday denounced the closing of TITV.

It said it was a violation of press freedom, and vowed to campaign for repeal of the act, which it said was passed undemocratically.

The Nation