Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has agreed to ease the financial burden of digital TV operators, with spokesmen claiming the support is out of sympathy for their financial obligations.
The Association of Digital TV Operators has urged the government for months to invoke Section 44 to help them weather the industry crisis.
The association had asked the government to allow its constituents to delay licence payments (starting from the May due date), as well as offer a chance to exit the TV business.
Gen Prayut said the government's legal committee is finding an appropriate way to alleviate the crisis and reform the industry.
Possible measures include revision of the frequency allocation law and the Broadcasting Act of 2008, in line with the changing broadcast ecosystem.
"The government sympathises with the problem, but we have to maintain a balance between the operators, viewers and the state benefit," Gen Prayut said. "We want to ease the problem to prevent it from worsening, but operators must understand that the government can only give additional assistance in line with the law."
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) granted 24 digital TV licences to 17 winning bidders in 2014, worth a combined 50.86 billion baht. The winners have to pay licence fees over six years.
Digital TV operators have paid a combined 34 billion baht to the NBTC, or 64% of the amount owed.
On Dec 14, the NBTC submitted a proposal on the association's request to the National Council for Peace and Order, supporting further assistance for digital operators and urging invocation of Section 44 to ease the crisis.