Local digital TV set-top box makers are crying foul over the national broadcasting regulator's delay in redeeming the coupons that are exchanged for TV signal conversion equipment.
"We want the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to accelerate the redemption payments as soon as possible, as we are facing a cash flow problem," said Somchai Pruengwiriya, president of the Digital Set-top Box Maker Club, which consists of seven companies.
The seven are Createch Marketing and Trading, Samart Engineering, Family Corporation, Hifi Orient Thai, Forth Corporation, Crown Tech Advance and Soken Electronic (Thailand) Co.
Mr Somchai said set-top box makers have so far received money for just 20-30% of total unit sales.
Some companies have yet to obtain any payment since putting their products on retail shelves two months ago.
Set-top box companies are also struggling with the delay in the distribution of coupons by NBTC management, resulting in missed targets for set-top box sales.
The NBTC distributed its 690-baht coupons to 14 million households to be used as a subsidy for purchasing a digital set-top box that can access both digital terrestrial TV and satellite TV broadcasts.
Redemption rates have reached 55% and are expected to climb to 70% by next month. The NBTC will have to pay 2.6 billion baht to set-top box makers for the coupons already redeemed.
The final batch of 5.4 million coupons will be distributed tomorrow.
"We want the NBTC to solve this problem within seven days," Mr Somchai said.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said the regulator needs time to investigate whether the redemption process is strictly in compliance with the Auditor-General's Office rules, citing the need to prevent cheating.
"We will invite those companies to discuss the problem next Monday," Mr Takorn said.
Mr Somchai also urged the NBTC to set up a joint committee with set-top box makers in order to work out technical problems after the sale.
The NBTC will submit revenue from the auction of digital TV frequencies worth 4.3 billion baht to state coffers for the first round, out of total auction revenue of 11.6 billion baht.
The government allows the NBTC to deduct expenditures incurred during the auction before passing the sum to the state.