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January 26, 2010

broadcastmilitary2.html

The military and Thai broadcasting

By Jon Fernquest

army airwavesThe role of the military in Thai broadcasting was the focus of an important article published in the Bangkok Post earlier this month.

Read a previous article on the longstanding ownership of Thai broadcasting by the state and the army.

For previous articles on this topic check out the ReadBangkokPost archives on Media and Telecommunications and also Easy Business English.

Here is the article in full:

Telecommunications

Men in green want to stay on air.

7/01/2010
Mongkol Bangprapa and Nattaya Chetchotiros

The armed forces, which control about half the nation's radio stations, want more say in the industry's management

Armed forces pressure is behind a lower house committee's decision to add another step to the selection of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, sources say.

The committee working on the bill to set up the NBTC has added a new selection process to help make sure men in uniform are represented on the commission, a committee source, who declined to be named, said yesterday

The powerful body will allocate airwave frequencies.

men in green - soldiers, military people (because they wear green uniforms)
on air, on the air - broadcasting a TV or radio program
armed forces - the military (army, navy, air force)
National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)  - a proposed combined telecoms and broadcasting regulator 
bill - a written document containing a proposal for a new law ญัตติ
process - a series of actions that you take in order to achieve a result แนวทางปฏิบัติ, กระบวน, วิธีการ
commission - a group of people who have been formally chosen to discover information about a problem or examine the reasons why the problem exists คณะกรรมการ, คณะกรรมาธิการ
source - someone who gives information แหล่งข่าว
allocate - to officially give out an amount of or share of something แบ่งส่วน, จัดสรร, จัดแบ่ง
airwave frequencies - the limited channels used to send radio and television to the audience  (See Wikipedia on electromagnetic spectrum)

The military was unhappy with the process and qualifications of members who will sit on the NBTC, committee members said. 

The original plan called for 22 candidates to be selected from eight professional groups such as broadcasters, consumer groups and universities. 

Each would nominate a representative from among their number.

The new plan calls for an additional panel made up of representatives from 15 independent, public and state agencies, including the permanent secretary for defence, to search for 22 contenders.

qualifications - the abilities, qualities, degrees, etc. that you need for a particular job or activity
a profession - a job requiring advanced education and training (for example:doctor, lawyer, architect)
professional groups - groups of people working in the same profession
broadcasters - people working in the broadcasting industry (radio, TV) 
consumer - someone who buys and uses goods and services ผู้บริโภค
nominate - to formally propose someone for a job เสนอชื่อ, เสนอชื่อบุคคลเข้ารับตำแหน่ง
representative - a person who represents and makes decisions for a group of people
panel - a group of people who make decisions or judgments คณะกรรมการ
independent - not taking help or money from other people พึ่งตนเอง
state - government รัฐบาล
state agencies -  government departments under large ministries 
permanent - happening or existing for a long time or for all time in the future ถาวร
permanent secretary for defense -  a high level official in the defense ministry (not a person currently serving as a soldier)
search - to look somewhere carefully in order to find something ค้นหา
contenders - people competing or fighting for the same limited thing 

All 44 candidates' names would be forwarded to the Senate, which would pick 11 people from the list to sit on the NBTC.

PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey yesterday denied the armed forces had put pressure on the committee to come up with the added selection process.

But Mr Sathit, who chairs the committee, said the armed forces should be part of the selection process.

A member of the committee disagreed, saying the armed forces had asked the panel several times to allow it to take part in the screening process. 

''Many committee members feel uneasy,'' the member said

''The armed forces control many radio and television frequencies. It is a conflict of interest to have the permanent secretary for defence selecting candidates for the NBTC.''

denied Y - said Y was not true
put pressure on - tried to force someone to do something
come up with - create
chairs the committee - heads or leads the committee (group of decision-makers)
take part in - join in, work together in
screening - looking closely at possible choices and then choosing one
radio and television frequencies - the limited channels used to send radio and television to the audience  (same as "airwave frequencies" above)
conflict of interest - when personal gain conflicts with the duties of your job (See Wikipedia)

Once approved by the legislative body, the 11-member NBTC will have sole authority to allocate frequencies, most of them now under the military and state agencies

The armed forces control almost half the nation's 524 radio stations, and two television stations, bringing in millions of baht a year to the military, the Campaign for Popular Media Reform says.

''Telecoms and broadcasting frequencies are a lucrative business if their owners face no competition,'' said Pirongdhrong Ramasoota, a lecturer with Chulalongkorn University's communication arts faculty, who is a committee member.

sole - only เดี่ยวๆ
authority - power อำนาจ
authority - the power to make decisions or tell people what to do อำนาจ, อำนาจในการสั่งการ
lucrative - earning a lot of money, profitable ที่มีกำไรงาม
faculty - a group of departments in a college which specialize in a particular subject or group of subjects คณะ

''The controllers can subcontract them to others.''

Demands to use frequencies will increase as the country enters the digital age, but in the meantime the number of frequencies is limited. 

The military is monitoring progress of the committee plan to select candidates to sit on the NBTC because it directly affects its interests. 

It also wants to add a qualification that candidates be security experts, to make it easier for the military to get its people on the NBTC. 

subcontract - hire another company to to do the work
monitor - watch closely and check (some process as it happens)
progress - moving forward with project, getting closer to achieving goals
affects its interests - they will either gain or lose, depending on what happens
security - the need to provide safety from attack, harm or damage ความปลอดภัย

Sitthiphorn Bhadrasena, director-general of the Defence Information and Space Technology Department, urged the committee at a meeting on Nov 26 to add a proviso for candidates to be security experts

The armed forces need to use frequencies for their own purposes. New-age warfare relies on technology to disrupt malign communications, Lt Gen Sitthiphorn told the panel

urged - advised someone very strongly about what action should be taken วิงวอน
disrupt - to prevent something from continuing as usual or as expected ทำให้ยุ่งเหยิง, ทำให้ยุ่งยาก
malign - causing harm
communications - exchanging information with other people by writing or speaking

Col Orathai Amornsri, of the Broadcasting, Televisions and Telecommunications Office, said the troubles in the lower South justified the military controlling their own frequencies

''The Defence Ministry has to use radio and television frequencies for security purposes to counter southern insurgents and those posting lese majeste messages on the internet,'' she said

X justified Y - X was a reason for Y
counter - to take action to oppose or stop something ต่อต้าน
insurgents - a group of people fighting against the government and army of their own country

But Suparb Kleekajai, a committee member, told the November meeting there was no need to add security expertise to the list of qualifications for NBTC candidates because the commissioners could always consult security experts if  necessary.

Puea Thai Party representatives on the committee, still upset about the military coup which toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from office in 2006, also oppose attempts by the military to push for its people on the NBTC.

The military should be driven out of the broadcasting business, Sunai Jullapongsathorn said in November

Sa-nguan Pongmanee, from the same party, said the additional selection process would undermine the credibility of the whole process. 

expertise - knowledge and experience that a person has in a special type of work or subject
qualifications -  achievements (education, jobs, experience) that shows that you are a good choice for a position
consult - to ask for information or advice from someone หารือ
upset - very sad, worried or angry about something วิตก กังวล, ทำให้หงุดหงิด
oppose - to disagree with or not approve of a plan or policy คัดค้าน
driven out of - forced to leave
party - one of the people or groups of people involved in an official argument, arrangement or similar situation คู่กรณี
undermine - cause weakness, make someone become gradually less effective, confident, or successful ทำให้อ่อนลง, บ่อนทำลาย, ทำให้กร่อน
credibility - the degree to which something can be believed or trusted ความน่าเชื่อถือ,ความน่าไว้วางใจ

''The original process was transparent. The additional one has been set up with a clear purpose [to help the military],'' he said

The committee was reluctant to boost the role of the armed forces in the decision-making process to select the NBTC members

However, it was also aware of the need to seek the military's help in getting the bill through the Senate

''The senate committee working on the bill will comprise many people in uniform,'' Chulalongkorn University's Mrs Pirongrong said.

aware - knowing that something exists, or having knowledge or experience of a particular thing ทราบ
transparent - not keeping anything secret; open โปร่งใส
reluctant - not willing to do something ลังเลใจ
boost - to increase; to strengthen เพิ่ม; ทำให้มีกำลังมากขึ้น
role - the purpose or influence of someone or something in a particular situation บทบาท
comprise - to consist or be made up of two or more things ประกอบด้วย
people in uniform - soldiers, people in the military (army, navy, air force)

(Source: Telecommunications, Men in green want to stay on air, 7/01/2010, Mongkol Bangprapa and Nattaya Chetchotiros, link) 

Posted by Jon Fernquest at 10:00 AM | | Comments (0)


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