The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) says it will today ask Bangkok Bank (BBL), the guarantee issuer, to pay money on behalf of Thai TV Co after the operator failed to pay the auction fee again yesterday.
The payment will total more than 288 million baht for the second instalment of auction fees.
Thai TV, which operates two digital TV channels, failed to pay the second instalment of the auction fee even after the regulator extended the payment deadline from late last month until yesterday.
"We will today send a formal letter to inform BBL and claim the money from the bank immediately," NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said.
After that, the NBTC will send the money to state coffers.
Mr Takorn said the regulator would send a new letter to Thai TV asking it to pay a 2% annual fee worth 2-3 million baht within 90 days and a 60,000 baht fine per day for failing to pay the fee.
Thai TV placed a guarantee letter worth 1.6 billion baht for its two digital TV channels — the Loca children's channel and Thai TV news channel.
The NBTC said the company could stop broadcasting the two channels after it paid the remaining auction fee instalments and annual fees totalling 1.63 billion baht.
Thai TV wants to return its two digital licences and move the channels to the satellite system. It faces a 300-million-baht loss from running both channels.