The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) yesterday decided to suspend the broadcasting licence of the red shirt-affiliated Peace TV for 30 days for airing programmes with content seen as dividing society.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said the board agreed that if Peace TV, the satellite-based television channel linked to the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, failed to comply then it would face harsh administrative action.
He said the suspension order stemmed from the airing of four programmes including Khao Chai Trong Kan Na and Yip Khao Ma Khui during late March and early April this year.
The programmes were deemed to contain content that could cause public disorder, he said, adding they were also against an earlier administrative order and a signed agreement requiring the broadcaster to comply with the National Council for Peace and Order's announcements. In August last year the NBTC's board suspended Peace TV's licence for a month on similar grounds.
Meanwhile, Mr Takorn said the telecom regulator's board also agreed its chairman should give the secretary-general the authority to suspend advertisements deemed unlawful.
He said the decision was aimed at fast-tracking the removal of ads for substandard food supplements and cosmetics products after they are reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Mr Takorn said normal procedures require controversial content to be screened by a sub-committee on consumer protection which will work with the FDA. Under the fast-track approach, ads are suspended until reviews are finalised.