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Published on January 23, 2008

TPBS is taking over the assets, liabilities and frequency of TITV.

Formerly known as iTV, TITV has been off the air since last Tuesday to pave way for the country's first public television station. TPBS is preparing to launch its programmes on February 1.

Because the public television station will not broadcast commercials, it is entitled to receive a subsidy equivalent to 1.5 per cent of the tax collected from liquor and tobacco each year, but the amount must not exceed Bt2 billion in each fiscal year.

The Cabinet also approved a royal decree yesterday on wages and allowances for executives of TPBS, government spokesman Chotichai Suwannaporn said.

"The chairman of the TPBS policy board will get a Bt60,000 salary, while other members of the board will get Bt50,000," Chotichai said.

Members of the policy board were also entitled to Bt30,000 in meeting allowances each month, while the policy board chairman would get Bt37,500 a month in allowances.

Chotichai said each member of other TPBS boards would get a Bt40,000 monthly salary plus Bt20,000 in allowances per month.

Meanwhile, TPBS is review-ing employment contracts held by TITV employees to determine if TPBS is legally obliged to recruit all of them.

Apichart Thongyoo, who sits on the TPBS policy board, said the new station would announce at 2pm today whether all TITV workers would get jobs at TPBS.

According to an informed source, a former executive of TITV revealed yesterday that up to 800 TITV employees had not signed a document stating their employment would be terminated when the Thai Public Broadcasting Service Act took effect.

"Only 29 employees signed the document," the source said. Therefore most workers were likely to have the status of employees for a few months and that could mean TPBS - which has taken over all assets and liabilities of TITV - must hire them.

The Nation