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Acting managing director Thepchai Yong said the pilot project was created as part of Thai PBS' philosophy to provide a public-service station for both professional journalists and citizens in diverse communities to have a chance to address their issues.

"Most of the space in mainstream media had previously been occupied by events in Bangkok and central Thailand.

"There are problematic things in many rural areas that were overlooked by mainstream media," said Thepchai.

"Our Citizen Reporters will look into issues that have been ignored," he said.

Thepchai said the group needs a volunteer spirit to serve communities.

"They should know the problems better than others. They are better than using the 'Para-shoot Journalists', who were outsiders ignorant about their plight," he added.

"These reporters will soon report news and make documentaries for our prime news programme. Thai PBS will allocate timeslots for content from this group," he said.

Thai PBS' provincial stations in Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Hat Yai would be the coordinating centres for the group.

Kwansuang Atibodhi, chairman of trustees at Thai PBS, said the Citizen Reporters project would allow more people to freely express and produce programmes that reflect their way of life, culture and to address key issues in their communities.

Its channel will provide two hours a day for each region to air their shows.

Kwansuang said the formation of provincial stations should boost a wider range of programmes representing the country's diverse populace.