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Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) yesterday said it plans to set up provincial stations in Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Hat Yai by mid-June.

The provincial stations, each with 36 editorial staff, will be responsible for producing content to supply Thai PBS, the country's first public-service television station.

The move was expected to allow more people to freely express and produce programmes that reflect their way of life, culture and address their issues.

Its channel will allocate each region two hours a day to broadcast their shows.

Kwansuang Atibodhi, chairman of trustees at Thai PBS, said the formation of provincial stations should allow for a wider range of programmes to represent the country's diverse populace.

A public-service channel should serve the whole society.

Unlike state television, it need not merely serve the interest of government quarters.

Unlike commercial television, it also need not serve the interest of business groups.

Narong Jaiharn, a trustee of Thai PBS, said the term of current trustees, which started from February this year, expires in July.

"Our responsibility is to promote good relations between the general public and public-service television and to encourage people to understand our role," he said.

"We need to form a solid foundation at the station as well as promote the involvement of the public to represent all groups in society," Narong said.

He said Thai PBS had recently conducted road-shows to all regions to obtain responses of the public.

"From the trips, we identified three main problems from people everywhere.

"They include the need to improve the education system, managing the environment and tackling human rights issues.

"They could be viewed as priorities for the channel, said Narong.

"We will extend our airtime from midnight to 2am soon.

"The new slots will be allocated to valuable programs such as a

news roundup for the day, sex education, and educational shows," he said.