The Comptroller-General's Department has set up a committee to consider compensation to RS Plc for providing free live broadcasts of all 2014 Fifa World Cup matches.
Director-general Manas Jamveha said his department was waiting for additional documents from RS after meeting executives from RS, TrueVisions, Channels 5 and 7 and representatives from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
The telecom regulator has agreed to use 427 million baht from the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Research and Development Fund for the Public Interest to subsidise the costs incurred from broadcasting the tournament through four free stations — Channels 5,7, 8 and 11 — and to compensate RS for its lost business opportunity.
RS chief executive Surachai Chetchotisak recently said his company had received only 119 million baht in compensation, while the remaining 308 million would be discussed with the commission's special negotiation subcommittee, which consists of representatives from the Finance Ministry, the Comptroller-General's Department and the NBTC.
He urged the NBTC to speed up paying the remaining amount because the company needs it to cover the cost of its World Cup set-top boxes.
Mr Manas said the Comptroller-General's Department, which is responsible for payment, must carefully consider the payment to prevent any criticism.
The department must also consider whether the 427-million-baht payment is justified and worthwhile for broadcasting the 64-match tournament.