Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) and Cofact Thailand have submitted a letter to the chairman of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) urging the regulator to finalise the long-delayed roadmap for broadcasting and TV from 2026-2030, alongside clear regulations for over-the-top (OTT) services.
Cofact Thailand is a collaborative fact-checking platform and digital network.
Supinya Klangnarong, chairwoman of the TCC subcommittee on communications, telecom and information technology, said the delay in finalising both the digital TV roadmap and OTT regulatory framework has shifted the burden of uncertainty onto the public.
The NBTC is scheduled to meet on June 19 to consider the roadmap agenda.
The groups warned that continued delays could leave the country unprepared when terrestrial digital TV licences expire in 2029, potentially disrupting public access to TV services and undermining consumer rights as audiences increasingly consume content through multiple digital platforms.
SCREEN BLACKOUT
"If digital TV licences expire in 2029 without a clear transition plan, the worst-case scenario is a screen blackout," she said.
According to Ms Supinya, the groups most at risk are not urban consumers with access to streaming services, but elderly citizens and low-income households that continue to rely on free TV for daily news and information.
"For these groups, free TV is not merely entertainment; it remains their primary source of information," she said.
Ms Supinya said radio frequency spectrum is a public resource and decisions regarding the future of Thailand's TV industry should be guided by consumer interests rather than regulatory inertia.
The prolonged uncertainty could create opportunities for market concentration among large players, while also affecting the public's constitutional right to access information and communication services.
The TCC has monitored the issue, arguing the absence of a clear roadmap affects not only broadcasters and investors but also the broader public interest.
Fair competition
The groups also highlighted growing concerns over the rapid rise of OTT platforms as a primary content distribution channel in Thailand.
Domestic operators have extensive regulatory obligations, while many international digital platforms operate under different or less stringent oversight.
"We want to see a level playing field," Ms Supinya said.
"Thai operators and foreign platforms should be subject to comparable rules."
She said consumer protection must remain central to any OTT framework, including safeguards for personal data, privacy rights, content moderation, and advertising standards, particularly regarding content accessible to children and young audiences.
"Consumers should also have access to effective complaint mechanisms and meaningful remedies when harm occurs, rather than seeing complaints disappear without resolution," said Ms Supinya.
In their submission to the NBTC, the TCC and Cofact Thailand outlined three primary recommendations, including the regulator publicly finishing and disclosing the national TV roadmap to prevent further delays.
This disclosure should provide clarity for industry stakeholders and allow operators to plan investments and technology upgrades in line with regulatory direction, note the groups.
The NBTC should also establish a clear OTT regulatory framework, while promoting fair competition between domestic and international service providers, according to the letter.
In addition, the regulator is advised to strengthen consumer protection measures across OTT and digital media services, including privacy and data security protections, safeguards against harmful content and advertising, and accessible complaint and compensation mechanisms.
Cofact Thailand said clearer OTT and digital media regulations could help address the rapid spread of false or misleading content on online platforms.
Misinformation poses direct risks to consumers' right to receive accurate and reliable information, noted the organisation.
Seeking Clarity
Meanwhile, digital TV broadcasters continue to urge the NBTC to finalise the digital TV roadmap before their licences expire.
During a recent discussion on the draft digital TV master plan, the NBTC board agreed that the regulator has the authority to oversee OTT platforms, adding it already considered several policy areas, including consumer protection against false and misleading content.
However, neither a comprehensive TV roadmap nor a formal OTT regulatory framework has been announced, leaving both consumers and broadcasters in the dark about the future of the sector.
