Modern telecommunications in Thailand began in 1875 with the deployment of the first telegraph service. Historically, the development of telecommunication networks in Thailand were in the hands of the public sector. Government organisations were established to provide telegraph, telephone, radio, and television services, and other government agencies, especially the military, still control a large estate of radio and television spectra. Private telecommunication operators initially acquired concession agreements with state enterprises. For mobile phone services, all the concessions have been amended by successive government to last 25 years have gradually ended in 2015. For other services, the concession terms and conditions vary, ranging from one to fifteen years. Nearly all of the concessions are build-operate-transfer (BTO) contracts. The private investor has to build all the required facilities and transfer them to the state before they can operate or offer services to public.
Regular television broadcasts in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection of free-to-air, free-to-view and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channels for consumers as well as on-demand content. There are six main channel owners who are responsible for most material viewed.
Sky Network Television Limited, more commonly known as Sky, is a New Zealand broadcasting company that provides pay television services via satellite, media streaming services and broadband internet services. As of 31 December 2022, Sky had 1,023,378 residential television subscribers consisting of 517,003 satellite subscribers and 506,375 streaming subscribers. Additionally, Sky had 23,156 broadband customers. Despite the similarity of name, branding and services, such as Sky Go and MySky shared with its European equivalent, Sky, there is no connection between the companies.
In cable television, governments apply a must-carry regulation stating that locally licensed television stations must be carried on a cable provider's system.
FashionTV is an international fashion and lifestyle broadcasting television channel. Founded in France in 1997, by its Polish-born president Michel Adam Lisowski, FashionTV is a widely distributed satellite channels in the world with 31 satellite and 2,000 cable systems. As of 2014, it had 400 million views all over the world.
Thailand has a well-developed mass media sector, especially by Southeast Asian standards. The Thai government and the military have long exercised considerable control, especially over radio and TV stations. During the governments of Thaksin Shinawatra and the subsequent military-run administration after the 2006 coup and military coup of 2014, the media in Thailand—both domestic and foreign—have suffered from increasing restrictions and censorship, sometimes subtle, sometimes overt.
GMM Grammy Public Company Limited is the largest media conglomerate entertainment company in Thailand. Grammy top artists include Bird Thongchai, Silly Fools, Loso, Tai Orathai, Bie Sukrit, Tata Young, Mos Patiparn, Bodyslam, Getsunova, Joey Boy,... In addition to its music business, the company is involved in concert production, artist management, film and television production and publishing.
RS Public Company Limited the pioneer and has been the inspiration of Thai entertainment culture since 1982. Today, RS GROUP is categorized in the commerce sector in the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Its core business categories are commerce business and media and entertainment business. The commerce business includes RS Mall and Lifestar Co., Ltd., while the media and entertainment business includes Thai television Channel 8, COOLISM radio station, and RS Music. The enterprise is operated under the model so-called Entertainmerce, maneuvering the business from upstream to downstream. That is to say, the strength of the media and entertainment business is drawn out to support the commerce business. This model incorporates all the subsidiaries conclusively and promotes the growth of all subsidiaries at the same time.
TrueVisions is the biggest provider of a cable analog television (CAtv) and digital satellite television (DStv) gateway operator’s in Thailand. So, TrueVisions is one of subsidiaries business department of True Corporation. Until February 2007, it was formerly known as United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), United Television Cable Network (UTV) under MCOT licensed and International Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) under CAT Telecom licensed
BEC World Public Company Limited is a Thai media conglomerate, best known as the operator of television Channel 3. It was founded in 1990 and listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 1995, though the group began doing business in 1967 as Bangkok Entertainment Co., Ltd., now a subsidiary. The business was founded by Vichai Maleenont, and continues to be majorly owned by the Maleenont family, though the company underwent major restructuring in the 2010s in response to major losses following landscape changes in the broadcast industry.
In Thailand, television broadcasting started on 24 June, 1955 .Color telecasts were started in 1967, and full-time color transmissions were launched in 1975. As of November 2020, there are currently 21 digital (DVB-T2) TV channels in Thailand.
Workpoint Entertainment Public Company Limited is a Thai media company. The company and its subsidiaries do business in television production, film making, event management, animation, publishing, event marketing and recording. The company was founded in 1989 by Phanya Nirunkul and Prapas Cholsaranon, and went public on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2004. The company, which has been called "the No. 1 TV producer in Thailand" by the Hollywood Reporter, has produced over eighty television programmes, with fifteen programmes broadcast weekly on free television in 2011. Mainly focusing on game shows, Workpoint's first production was Wethi Thong, which was broadcast on Channel 7 from 1989 to 2007. It soon expanded into other genres and has produced variety shows, soap operas, sitcoms, animations and feature films. Its productions include the Asian Television Award-winning Game Jarachon, Fan Pan Tae, Todsagun Kid Game, Lharn Phoo Koo E-Joo and Wittaya Subphayuth. Two of its productions, Lharn Phoo Koo E-Joo and Talok Hok Chak, have also received nominations for the International Emmy Awards.
Spring News is a Thai Television news channel owned by Spring News Television Ltd. part of News Network Corporation PCL.
True4U is a Thai digital terrestrial television channel owned by True4U Station Company Limited, a unit of TrueVisions, a subsidiary of True Corporation, part of the Charoen Pokphand Group and Telenor. It broadcasts news, entertainment and sport programs. True4U is broadcasting on Thailand digital television platform on channel 24.
PPTV, also known as PPTV HD and PPTV HD 36, an acronym for Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth Television) is a digital terrestrial television channel in Thailand, owned by Bangkok Media & Broadcasting Co., Ltd., a company managed by Prasarttong-Osoth, Bangkok Airways and Bangkok Hospital group owner, Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth.
Thairath TV is a digital terrestrial television channel owned by Triple V Broadcast Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the news publisher, Thairath, which was owned by Vacharaphol Co., Ltd., launched in April 2014 after they won a digital television broadcast license.
TNN is a Thai satellite, cable and digital terrestrial 24-hour news channel owned by Thai News Network (TNN) Co., Ltd., a unit of TrueVisions, a subsidiary of True Corporation, part of the Charoen Pokphand Group and Telenor, presents news, documentaries and sport news. TNN has a sister channel called TNN2.
JKN Global Group Public Company Limited is a Thai multinational conglomerate founded by Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip. Its headquarters are in the JKN Empire building in Samut Prakan, Thailand. It comprises numerous businesses in various industries of foods, beverages, content distribution, cosmetics, health products, home shopping, energy drinks, entertainment, events, film, mass media, personal care, television advertisements, and television programs.
Top News is a Thai digital terrestrial, cable and satellite television channel and all-media news agency in Thailand, operated by Top News Digital Media Co., Ltd., founded by Sonthiyan Chuenruthainaitham and consists of many journalists who left Nation TV in November 2020. The channel is often attacked for its ultranationalist stance and inflammatory news coverage, but the channel insists that it offers the truth in every aspect that will lead to the protection of the country's 3 main institutions.
