Regulators have approved pay-TV operator TrueVisions' request to drop six entertainment channels including HBO and Cinemax from Jan 1 as the cable operator claimed it had lost the rights to air them, according to a commissioner.
The six channels are Cinemax, HBO, HBO Hits, HBO Signature, HBO Family and Red by HBO. All of them are part of its premium Platinum HD (180 channels in total) and Gold HD (155 channels) packages costing 2,155.15 baht and 1,568.12 baht a month respectively, according to its website.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) made the decision at its Monday meeting, Col Natee Sukonrat, chairman of the NBTC's broadcasting committee, said a briefing shortly after the meeting.
Normally, the NBTC requires an operator notify customers 30 days in advance if it has to stop airing a channel, he said.
"Although the company did not comply with the rule, the board approved the request because the company claimed it could not reach agreements with the content providers," he said.
The committee will ask its consumers protection panel to talk with the company about remedial measures for its customers, which may include allowing customers to change or cancel their subscription packages with pro-rated refunds, he added.
The pay-TV subsidiary of the Charoen Pokphand conglomerate said late on Monday it would add seven new channels to the lineup. Warner TV, Sony Channel, Paramount, Fox Action Movies, Celestial Classic Movies, Food Network HD will be on air on Jan 1 while True Films HD 2 will come live in March.
The news has created an uproar among TrueVisions customers since HBO and Cinemax are dealmakers for many people when they subscribed to the packages.
Among HBO's ongoing hit series are Game of Thrones and Westworld.
"HBO is what matters the most in the high-end packages -- Gold and Platinum. Without it, I believe TrueVisions will lose more than half of its subscribers to these packages," a Facebook user commented on Kapook.com portal.
Several pantip.com users lamented the fact that they won't be able to watch Game of Thrones and Westworld while one hinted at rumours another pay-TV operator might have won the rights to the channels.
Also at its Monday meeting, the NBTC revoked Wat Phra Dhammakaya's satellite TV station DMC channel as it was found to have persuaded followers to gather for religious activities and violated laws.
Col Natee said the licence revocation took effect after Jan 7, when the licence suspension ended.
On Dec 6, the NBTC ordered Wat Phra Dhammakaya's satellite TV station off the air for 30 days following a request by the Department of Special Investigation and the suspension.