Media assets

Television: NBT Television (affiliated stations: NNT1, NNT2, NNT3, NNT4, NNT5, NNT6, NNT7, NNT8), NBT Regional (Channel 11), NBT World

Radio: Radio Thailand, Radio Thailand World Service

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled Media

Ownership and governance

NBT is established as a government agency under the PRD, created by resolution on January 15, 1985 (operational from 1988). All leadership positions are filled by civil servants, and the broadcaster functions as the official mouthpiece for state policies and announcements. There is no statute guaranteeing editorial independence; executive oversight remains firmly within governmental structures.

Source of funding and budget

NBT is fully state‑funded through the PRD’s budget. Historic foreign aid, most notably Japanese grants, has supported technological upgrades. The most recent publicly available annual report dates from 2017.

In 2024, the PRD’s budget approached THB 3 billion (approx. USD 92 million), drawing criticism from opposition voices over the scale of spending on official media channels. This funding continues to underwrite NBT’s operations.

Editorial independence

Local media analysts interviewed for this project in January 2024 and March 2025 reported that NBT programming adheres closely to government messaging. Journalists operate under clearly defined mandates aligned with state policy, with little room for dissenting coverage. With no legal protections for newsroom autonomy, editorial decisions are policy‑driven rather than independent in nature.

August 2025

The company has undertaken efforts to modernize its services, expand digital operations, and diversify its revenue streams. In addition to broadcasting, it has ventured into content licensing, TV shopping, and digital streaming platforms. Its flagship television channel, MCOT HD (Channel 30), now reaches more than 95% of Thai households. The Thai News Agency, a key subsidiary established in 1977, continues to serve as the principal news producer for MCOT’s platforms and remains one of Thailand’s most prominent state news services.

Media assets

Radio: Nationwide- MCOT Radio, Labor’s Radio, Lukthung Mahanakhon, Khluen Khwam Khit, Keep it Mellow, Active Radio, News Network, Eazy FM, Met 107; Local- 53 stations

Television: MCOT HD (Channel 30), MCOT Family (Channel 14), Channel 9, Thai TV3

News agency: Thai News Agency

State Media Matrix Typology

Captured Public/State-Owned Media (CaPu)

Ownership and governance

MCOT is a state-controlled public company that reports directly to the Office of the Prime Minister. The transformation from a government agency to a public company occurred in 2004, when the Mass Communication Organization of Thailand was corporatized and registered as MCOT Public Company Limited. Later that year, it was listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

Despite its public company status, MCOT remains under substantial state control. The Ministry of Finance holds a majority stake of approximately 65.8%, while the Government Savings Bank—a state-owned financial institution—owns an additional 11.5%. The remaining shares are publicly traded. While the Ministry of Finance retains the authority to appoint members to the board of directors, MCOT has adopted a hybrid governance model that also allows for the appointment of independent professionals, reflecting a gradual shift toward more modern corporate oversight.

MCOT also holds stakes in two subsidiaries: Panorama Worldwide Company Limited and Seed MCOT Company Limited. These subsidiaries support the company’s expansion into documentary production, youth programming, and digital content development.

In early February 2025, MCOT held a Board Meeting, during which Wuttipong Jittungsakul was appointed as a director, replacing the outgoing Chanvit Nakburee. He is expected to serve through the 2026 annual general meeting. Jittungsakul holds a Master’s degree in Development Economics from the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) and has previously served in advisory roles at the Ministry of Finance and as Inspector General of that ministry.

Teerapong Wongsiwawilas has been Chairman of the board since May 2023. He previously served as Secretary-General to the Cabinet and held senior roles within the Secretariat of the Cabinet, later becoming an advisor to the Prime Minister until late 2022. He also served as Executive Director for Judicial Administration at Thailand’s Court of Justice.

Source of funding and budget

MCOT’s primary source of income is commercial advertising, supplemented by content licensing, property rental, and digital revenue streams. In 2020, the company reported revenues of approximately THB 1.5 billion (US$47.3 million), with most income derived from traditional broadcast advertising. That figure decreased slightly in 2022, when MCOT’s total turnover stood at THB 1.4 billion (US$38.7 million), amid a sluggish recovery in the post-pandemic media market.

In 2023, however, the company posted a significant financial upswing. Total revenues reached THB 2.38 billion (US$67 million), driven largely by gains from fair value adjustments of its investment properties. Net profits for the year amounted to THB 587 million (US$16.5 million), marking a rare period of profitability after several years of underperformance. This trend appeared to reverse in 2024 when MCOT posted a net loss of THB 316 million.

The company has committed to diversifying its revenue base. As of 2024, its Digital and New Business division accounted for more than 20% of total revenues, with plans underway to grow that figure significantly through online content syndication, program archives monetization, and digital-first advertising.

Editorial independence

MCOT has taken steps to improve transparency and professional standards in its operations, and it regularly publishes detailed annual reports outlining its performance and ethical commitments. The company has also established internal guidelines and editorial codes of conduct for its journalists. However, these safeguards have not been codified in law or statute, and no formal framework exists to guarantee editorial independence from the government.

Although MCOT maintains a reputation for professional journalism in many of its segments, it remains politically cautious. Local journalists interviewed for this report in early 2024 and in March 2025 noted that MCOT outlets tend to avoid direct criticism of the Thai military or central government authorities. While no official censorship orders are known to exist, indirect pressures are frequently reported,including internal warnings, editorial line-setting from senior managers, and, in some cases, the dismissal of journalists deemed too critical of state institutions.

Despite these limitations, MCOT continues to provide a wide range of public service content, including education, cultural programming, and disaster communication. Yet its editorial autonomy remains limited when reporting intersects with the political interests of the government or the military.

August 2025

Media assets

News agency: NNT

Digital portal: Thainews.prd.go.th

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled Media (SC)

Ownership and governance

The NNT is directly managed by the Public Relations Department, which itself falls under the Office of the Prime Minister. As such, the bureau is not editorially autonomous; it operates as an arm of the Thai state, carrying out strategic communication and public information functions on behalf of the central government. Executive leadership within NNT is appointed through governmental channels, and there is no independent board structure to insulate the agency from political interference.

Source of funding and budget

NNT is wholly state-funded. Its operating budget is drawn from the national budget allocation to the PRD. There is no indication of independent revenue streams, such as advertising or syndication services, which underscores the agency’s dependence on public funds and reflects its function as a governmental rather than commercial news entity.

In the 2024 fiscal year, the PRD received a modest increase in budget allocation, some of which was directed toward upgrading digital infrastructure across NNT’s platforms. This included investments in AI-assisted translation tools and the expansion of English-language content to bolster international outreach through NBT World. However, no public breakdown of the NNT’s specific share of the PRD budget has been disclosed.

Editorial independence

NNT’s editorial policy is tightly aligned with the communication objectives of the Thai government. Functioning as a government bulletin rather than an independent news organization, the agency’s reporting is largely uncritical, with content typically framed to reinforce state narratives. News selection, framing, and language are subject to prior vetting by senior officials within the PRD. This lack of editorial autonomy is particularly visible during politically sensitive periods, such as national elections or civil unrest, when NNT coverage tends to echo official positions and avoid dissenting voices.

August 2025

Media assets

Television: TPBS, ALTV

State Media Matrix Typology

Captured Public/State-Owned Media (CaPu)

Ownership and governance

Thai PBS was instituted as an independent legal entity under the 2008 Act, structured to function outside the traditional orbit of government control. It is not classified as a government agency or a state enterprise, but rather as a public organization endowed with legal personality. The legislative design deliberately placed firewalls between the broadcaster and the political establishment, particularly in the process of board appointments. A Policy Board, insulated from executive control, oversees strategic direction and ensures adherence to journalistic standards and ethical norms.

Wilasinee Phiphitkul is the Director General of the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS), a role she has held since at least 2021. With a background in communications, media policy, and organizational development, she has played a key role in strengthening Thai PBS’s positioning as a public service broadcaster amid shifting political and technological landscapes.

Source of funding and budget

A defining feature of Thai PBS is its funding mechanism, carefully crafted to protect its editorial independence. To insulate the broadcaster from the shifting tides of political favour and to avoid dependence on annual parliamentary allocations, Thai PBS is financed through earmarked excise revenues—commonly referred to as “sin taxes”—levied on products and services considered socially harmful, such as alcohol and tobacco.

This funding model provides a fixed annual subsidy of THB 2 billion (approximately USD 62.6 million in 2021), which allows Thai PBS to operate without direct state budgetary negotiation, at least in theory.

Official financial reporting is sparse, and no credible sources have disclosed updated profit or surplus/loss metrics. Thai PBS remains non-commercial and fully reliant on public excise‑tax funding.

Editorial independence

Thai PBS was conceived with the mission of serving the public interest through impartial and balanced programming, independent from government diktats. The creation of a Viewers Committee, tasked with monitoring content and gathering public feedback, was a further step toward enhancing transparency and accountability to audiences rather than politicians.

While the broadcaster has historically managed to walk a fine line between independence and its proximity to state structures, it has not been immune to political pressures. Government officials have, on numerous occasions, publicly expressed dissatisfaction with what they perceive as insufficient coverage of government activities, arguing that since Thai PBS is funded through state-collected revenues, it has an implicit duty to promote government-related news.

Despite such pressures, Thai PBS earned a longstanding reputation for resisting interference and maintaining a relatively independent editorial line, especially when compared with other Southeast Asian broadcasters.

In recent years, however, concerns have emerged that Thai PBS’s editorial autonomy is under increasing strain. The broadcaster faced strong criticism in late 2023 after it removed an interview with Taiwan’s Foreign Minister, allegedly following direct diplomatic pressure from the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok. Media professionals described the incident as “alarming” and emblematic of a broader erosion in editorial freedom.

Interviews conducted in early 2024 and March 2025 with both internal staff and external media analysts painted a mixed picture. While some journalists characterized the Taiwan incident as an exception rather than the rule, a significant number expressed unease over what they viewed as a growing pattern of capitulation to government demands. Multiple sources indicated that when the government seeks the removal of specific content, Thai PBS no longer has the institutional strength, or political backing, to push back.

In March 2025, Thai PBS came under fire for publishing—and then retracting—an opinion piece that appeared to glorify dictatorship, praising past authoritarian leaders and suggesting nostalgia for “strong leadership” as economically beneficial. Critics, notably a law professor at Thammasat University, condemned the one‑sided framing and misleading implications. Thai PBS issued a public apology, removed the article, and pledged transparent internal review and corrective action.

Given these developments, Thai PBS was formally reclassified in 2024 from the Independent Public (IP) category to the Captured Public/State-Owned/Managed Media (CaPu) category in the State Media Monitor typology.

August 2025

Media assets

Television: Channel 5

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

Channel 5 remains under the direct control of the Royal Thai Army, which exercises full authority over the station’s governance, operations, and strategic direction. All senior management positions are held by military personnel or individuals appointed by the army’s high command, reflecting a top-down model of media control rooted in Thailand’s longstanding tradition of military involvement in public affairs.

Source of funding and budget

As of the latest confirmations by local media analysts and journalists consulted in March 2023, January 2024 and March 2025, Channel 5 continues to be entirely funded by the Royal Thai Army. The broadcaster operates on an annual budget sourced from military appropriations, bypassing the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and other civilian budgetary oversight channels. No commercial advertising or public funding mechanisms supplement the station’s operations, underscoring its unique position as a fully subsidized military media outlet.

The exact figures for the 2024–2025 fiscal allocations have not been made publicly available. Transparency advocates have criticized the lack of budget disclosure, especially in the context of ongoing national debates over military spending.

Editorial independence

Channel 5’s editorial direction is closely aligned with the Royal Thai Army’s communication priorities. According to assessments by independent journalists and media experts (March 2023, January 2024 and March 2025), the channel routinely disseminates content that reflects the military’s perspectives on national events, often framing political and civil society developments through a lens of national stability, order, and unity.

There are no statutory protections or independent oversight mechanisms in place to safeguard editorial autonomy at Channel 5. The absence of legal or institutional checks means that the broadcaster remains effectively insulated from public accountability or professional media standards applied to civilian news outlets. As of June 2025, no reforms or proposals to alter this structure have been introduced by either the military or civilian branches of government.

July 2025

Media assets

Radio: Radio Thailand Satun

State Media Matrix Typology

State-Controlled (SC)

Ownership and governance

Radio Thailand Satun operates as a regional arm of Radio Thailand, which falls under the Public Relations Department (PRD) of the Office of the Prime Minister. This institutional affiliation places it firmly within the central government’s communications architecture. As confirmed by journalists and media experts consulted in March 2023, January 2024 and March 2025, all key appointments and editorial policy decisions are made in accordance with national government directives. The chain of command is consistent with Thailand’s broader system of centralized state media oversight.

Source of funding and budget

The station is wholly financed through public funds, receiving its operational budget via government allocations channeled through the PRD. This includes expenses related to staffing, programming, and transmission infrastructure. Local media professionals interviewed in 2023-2025 affirmed that Radio Satun does not generate commercial revenue and remains financially dependent on the state. No evidence of advertising income or alternative revenue streams has been identified to date.

Editorial independence

Radio Thailand Satun functions primarily as a state mouthpiece, echoing official narratives and amplifying government messaging at the local level. As with other regional PRD broadcasters, its editorial direction is shaped by the central government, and content is often synchronized with national public information campaigns.

There are no legal safeguards or institutional mechanisms in place to guarantee editorial autonomy. Neither Thailand’s broadcasting legislation nor any known independent oversight bodies provide for the protection of journalistic independence within Radio Satun. Local observers note that programming remains highly deferential to official positions, and critical or investigative content is absent from its output.

July 2025