Board vows to make PBS a role model

A key framework has been set to make Thai PBS a true publicservice station, with ownership and involvement by the public and providing fair and nonbiased information that benefits the country and all public interests.

Prof Krirkkiat Phipatseritham, the board's chairman, said that the strong foundation of Thai PBS would make the sixmonthold publicservice station a role model for reliable television media.

Krirkkiat is one of the nine newly appointed members of the new policy board at Thai PBS. The board started their jobs officially three days ago, replacing the interim board appointed by the coupbacked government.

Other board members are Poldej Pinprateep, Kamol Kamoltrakul, Jon Ungphakorn, Somchai Suwanban, Aurasri Ngamwittayaphong, Chintana Bhandhufalck, Mattana Homlaor and Uajit Virojtrairatt.

"We have no honeymoon period,'' said Krirkkiat, the former dean of Thammasat University.

"We want to focus on four key issues in our working framework, which are to make Thai PBS a true independent station, to run the station with a strong responsibility to society, to work with professionalism and business ethics, and realising that accuracy and public benefits are a top priority," said Krirkkiat.

"We have strong concerns about the misunderstanding of viewers over the concept and duty of publicservice television. Some politicians mistakenly believe that the government sponsors Thai PBS. The fact is the station relies on Bt1.8 billion of fixed annual revenue, which comes from sintax charges on alcohol and cigarettes. We are owned and supported by the people."

Krirkkiat said Thai PBS was now using facilities transferred from the defunct iTV after it was forced to transform into a public broadcaster by the previous government early this year.

"We do not have our own assets and all studios and broadcasting equipment as well as the office space have been rented," he said.

Krirkkiat said Thai PBS hoped to invest Bt3 billion in its own office and broadcasting facilities over the next couple of years.

He said the rental contact for the Shinawatra 3 Building, the current operating base of Thai PBS, would expire in November. It was very likely that it would renew the contract for another two or three years since they were run¬ning out of time to find a new office.

"We will make savings of between Bt300 million and Bt500 million a year to create an investment budget for future expansion," he said.

"We really hope that we will make Thai PBS the most reliable media. Our content will not only be local, but also international media.''

The immediate task of the board is to search for a permanent managing director. Thepchai Yong, acting managing director of the station, has shown interest in the job after six months of experience.

"I've found it challenging and the law does not prohibit me from applying for the position,'' said Thepchai, a veteran journalist and former executive of Nation Multimedia Group.