NBTC/ITUWorkshoponRoadmapforIntroductionofDigitalTerrestrial
RadioServicesinThailand
OpeningRemarks
Asst.Prof.Dr.ThawatchaiJittrapanun
Commissioner,NationalBroadcastingandTelecommunicationsCommission
Mr.IoaneKoroivuki,RegionalDirector,ITURegionalOfficeforAsiaandthe
Pacific
MissOraseeSeerasa,ActingExecutiveDirector,DigitalBroadcastingBureau
LadiesandGentlemen,
Goodmorning!
Itisindeedmypleasuretobeherewithyoutodayfortheopeningofthe
“NBTC/ITUWorkshoponRoadmapforIntroductionofDigitalTerrestrial
RadioServicesinThailand”.
Firstly,IwouldliketothanktheITU,especially,itsRegionalOfficeforAsiaand
thePacificforco‐organisingthisworkshop.Asmostofyouknow,theNBTC
andtheITUhavealonghistoryofcooperationinanumberofactivities,
particularlyinthedevelopmentofbroadcastingandtelecommunications
policiesinThailand.
I’dalsoliketowelcomeMr.IoaneKoroivukiwhohasrecentlyjoinedtheITU
astheRegionalDirector.IhopethattheNBTCandtheITUwillfurther
strengthenourpartnershipunderhisleadership.
Ladiesandgentlemen,
RadiohasbeenanimportantmediainThailandsinceitwasintroducedhere
manydecadesago.Despiteapositivegrowthandanincreasingadoptionrate
oftheemergingnewmediasuchastheInternet,themajorityofThai
populationstilllistentotheradiowhichiscurrentlybeingbroadcastedusing
theoldanaloguebroadcastingtechnology.Wecansaythat,inThailand,almost
everyhouseholdhasatleastoneradioreceiver.Intheruralareasinparticular,
peoplerelyonradioasameantolistentonews,especiallyaboutthe
government,politics,andentertainment.Radiobroadcastingisalsoavital
channelforcommunicationduringthetimesofnationalorregional
emergenciessuchasduringnaturaldisasters.
Asyoucansee,theimportanceandbenefitsofradiobroadcastinginthis
countryarestronglyevidenced.TheNBTC,therefore,arecommittedtoensure
areasonablelevelofnotonlytheaccessibilityandqualityoftheradio
reception,butalsothequalityofthecontents.Wealsoaredeterminedto
improvetheradioservicesandconnectpeoplenationwidebyintroducing
digitalterrestrialradiobroadcastingserviceswhichwillnotonlyprovide
betterqualityofsoundandservices,butalsoopenupnewbusiness
opportunitiesintheindustry.
Today,anumberofcountrieshavestartedtorolloutthedigitalterrestrial
radiobroadcastingservices.Forexample,theUK,Germany,Ireland,Australia,
theUS,andourneighbouringcountriessuchasJapanandthePhilippines.
Experiencesfromthesecountriestogetherwiththeunderstandingof
Thailand'sradioindustrylandscape,webelievethatthetransitionfrom
analoguetodigitalradiobroadcastingwillbearealchallengingendeavour
fromthelegal,thetechnical,andtheeconomicsperspectives,evenmoreso
thanthatofthedigitalTV.
Insteadofcompletelyreplacingtheanalogueradiobroadcasting,weviewthe
digitalversionasasupplementalserviceaimedatanichemarketatleastin
short‐term,particularlythemarketforhighincomeaudienceswhodemand
qualityserviceandhaveenoughpurchasingpowertoaffordthedigitalradio
receivers.
Therefore,itisunlikelythattheanalogueradiobroadcastingwillbe
disappearedinanearfuture.Thishasbeenevidencedinmanycountriessuch
astheUK,wheredespitetheintroductionofdigitalradioformorethana
decadeago,theystillhavenotfinalisedthedateforanalogueswitchoffdueto
anumberoffactorssuchaslowadoptionrate,competitionfromothers
emergingtechnology,changesinconsumer'sbehaviour,tonameafew.
IbelievethatThailandislikelytofacethesamechallenges.Allinall,we
considerthesecomplexityandcomplicationintherolloutofdigitalradioas
anotherexcitingandchallengingopportunityforourteamatNBTCtodofor
ourcountryandhopefullyleavesomepositivelegacythateveryonecouldbe
proudof.
Withthehelpandsupportfromanumberofplayersintheradioindustry,
includingmanyoftheparticipantsheretoday,Ibelievethatthedigitalradio
rolloutinThailandwillbeanotherachievementthateveryonewillbeproud
of.
Dearparticipants,
IamdelightedtoseemanyofyoutodayfromvarioussectorsandIamgrateful
foryourparticipation.Iamconfidentthatthetoday’sworkshopwillgiveyoua
betterviewonwhatweallareworkingonnowandwhatbenefitscanbe
offeredbythenewtechnologies.
Finally,Iwishyouallenjoythepresentationsbytheexperts,haveafruitful
discussionandlearnsomenewexcitingthingsfromtheevent.
Withthat,InowdeclaretheNBTC/ITUWorkshoponRoadmapfor
IntroductionofDigitalTerrestrialRadioServicesinThailandopen.
Thankyou.
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