The operators of five digital TV channels sued the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission on Monday for 9.55 billion baht for allegedly poorly promoting digital TV.
Thai media reported that the complaint filed in the Central Administrative Court came from the operators of BrightTV, GMM Channel, GMM One, PPTV and Thairath TV. Their lawsuit targeted the NBTC, the NBTC office and NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith.
The operators accused the NBTC of slow efforts to promote digital TV as a replacement for analogue, distribute digital TV set-top boxes and expand digital TV networks and of luring them into bidding for digital TV licences.
The operators also sought relief for their alleged damages and asked the court to order the NBTC to postpone the third instalment of digital TV licence fees next year.
Digital TV started commercial broadcasting in early 2014. There are 24 digital TV channels.