The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has finally ruled out allowing digital TV operators to delay the third instalment of their auction fees due on May 24.
Pakdee Manaves, the NBTC's deputy secretary-general, said the broadcasting committee did not allow the existing 25 digital TV operators to delay the payments. He said the fourth to sixth instalments could also not be delayed.
Mr Pakdee said the auction fee payments could not be reduced or exempted according to the NBTC announcement on rules and conditions for digital TV auctions in 2013.
Kematat: Last chance to find a solution
An NBTC source said before the committee issued its ruling, eight digital TV operators comprising PPTV, ThairathTV, GMM25, One31, Bright TV, Nation, NOW26 and Spring News sent a letter to the National Council for Peace and Order and the NBTC asking for an alternative to the payment.
The source said Bangkok Broadcasting and Television Co (BBTV), the operator of Channel 7, the first digital TV operator, already paid the third instalment of 559.6 million baht on May 13.
Kematat Paladesh, president of PPTV channel, said on behalf of the eight digital TV operators that sent a letter, he was confident most digital TV operators are not willing to break their promise to pay the auction fees, but they want relief from heavy financial burdens. The fee amount is quite high for most of them, he said.
"We can't do anything but we need to find a way to clear the payment as soon as possible," Mr Kematat said.
The group also asked the Central Administrative Court to find a payment solution for them last Friday.
"We wish the court could do something before May 24. This is our last chance," he said.
Meanwhile, the committee agreed with the draft of annual digital TV licensing adjustment rate and is ready to pass it to the NBTC board soon. The rate will be changed to a progressive rate from a flat rate of 1.5% for revenue of zero to 5 million baht per year and 2% for over 5 million.
The progressive rate will charge 0.5% for revenue of zero to 5 million baht, 0.75% from 5 million to 50 million, 1% for 50 million to 500 million, 1.75% for 500 million to 1 billion, and 2% for over 1 billion.