Distribution of digital TV coupons boosts Thai economy

BANGKOK, October 18 (TNA) - Thailand's National Broadcasting Telecommunication Commission (NBTC) has estimated that some 63 billion baht should be directly and indirectly generated in the Thai economy from the ongoing distribution of digital TV subsidy coupons. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, NBTC Secretary-General Thakorn Tantasit cited the results from the NBTC's recent study on benefits of the digital TV subsidy coupon distribution, saying that the distribution should, thus, produce positive effects to the Thai economy. Thakorn assessed that some 30 billion baht should be directly generated from the selling of digital TV set-top-boxes (STB), while the coupon distribution should generate the other 33 billion baht indirectly through advertisement revenues. The NBTC chief said the figure accounts for 0.3 per cent of Thailand’s national income. On October 10, the NBTC, through Thailand Post, started distributing the 690-baht coupons to 22.9 household owners on registered posts so that they can use to purchase digital TV set-tops or related equipments, as the country is switching from analogue to the digital TV system. According to the NBTC chief, prices of digital TV set-top-boxes in the market vary from 1,200 baht to 1,700 baht each. According to the NBTC chief, the Thai government will also receive about 2 billion baht from the collection of value added tax from the sales of digital TV set-top-boxes. Citing the study results, the NBTC chief projected that 24 TV operators, who have a digital TV license, should be able to generate advertisement revenues, worth at least 33 billion baht annually, once Thailand has fully switched into the digital TV system, while the government should receive about 2.3 billion baht from the collection of value added tax on advertisement revenues. (TNA)