Spring News to sue MCOT in debt row
Spring News, a Thai TV news outlet, plans to sue MCOT Plc after the state enterprise on Tuesday vowed to terminate the channel’s broadcasting network at the end of next week unless it repays 104 million baht in debt.
The move came after the broadcaster pledged to terminate the station’s broadcasting network on June 16.
Spring News said it will sue MCOT over overpriced rental fees.
The TV station reportedly failed to reach an agreement with MCOT, saying it needs to save money for reorganisation.
Spring News said it would sue MCOT under Section 157 of the criminal code. But a dispute over whether MCOT is a public or private company has thrown the applicability of that section to the criminal code in doubt.
Than ac hai Wongthongsr i, vice-president of MCOT, declined to comment on the issue, saying he has no idea what Spring News wants because the contract requires it to pay the rental fees.
“The issue will be finalised soon,” he said.
In a related development, the NBTC yesterday called on all 20 digital TV channels to acknowledge the guidelines and conditions for entering a three-year debt moratorium recently granted by the government through Section 44.
Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the NBTC, said the regulator agreed to help all 20 digital TV channels, but they have to place a 1.5% interest payment with the NBTC within 30 days, in accordance with the Bank of Thailand’s debt moratorium policy.
TV channels that fail to make the interest payment will not be covered by the moratorium.
Mr Takorn said despite extending the rescue package to digital TV channels, it will not intervene in their content.