Thailand Picks DVB-T

Thailand has chosen DVB-T2 as the digital broadcasting standard. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has endorsed this standard which the Thai Cabinet approved on 20 May 2012.

Thailand has chosen DVB-T2 as the digital broadcasting standard. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has endorsed this standard which the Thai Cabinet approved on 20 May 2012.

NBTC said its decision will also promote cooperation with other ASEAN partners, which agreed to endorse DVB-T2 as the ASEAN common digital terrestrial broadcasting standard.

Ms Supinya Klangnarong, NBTC Commissioner, made the announcement during her remarks today before the ITU-AIBD Workshop on “ Digital Broadcasting: Opportunities, Business and Challenges,” one of seven pre-events leading to the Asia Media Summit in Bangkok.

She said under the NBTC spectrum draft plan, the digital switchover will begin within four years and completely change 80% of all households in major cities to the digital system within 5 years.The digital switchover of all households to digital TV is expected to take ten years.

Under the migration roadmap, the local broadcasting industry is set to be fully digitalized by 2012 – 2016.

She said the change to digital TV will affect all 20 million households in Thailand, so the subsidy of set-top boxes will be considered.