Thailand's Broadcasting Authority Charts Future Path for Radio
Thailand's broadcasting authority outlined plans to modernize the radio sector, with 2,328 licensed FM stations currently operating and over 900 frequencies still available for allocation. The NBTC announced new quality awards and digital D
On August 18, 2025, the NBTC held its fourth forum on promoting Thai radio broadcasting, presenting opportunities and future directions for the sector. Thanphan Rayajaroen, the NBTC's director of radio affairs, explained that the meeting aimed to clarify the agency's approach to developing Thailand's radio industry and to update stakeholders on the status of local radio stations entering the licensing system, as well as criteria and procedures for approving digital DAB+ radio networks. The forum also served as a platform for information exchange between the NBTC and broadcasters. Following the successful transition of radio stations to the licensing system by the end of 2024, the agency is now pursuing policies to promote Thai radio toward international standards and sustainable social and economic development.
The NBTC outlined five key agenda items: First, the status of frequency allocation according to the FM radio frequency plan shows that of 3,346 allocated FM frequencies (839 community and public, 2,507 commercial), 2,435 have been licensed (570 community and public, 1,865 commercial), leaving 991 frequencies available. Currently, 2,328 stations have been licensed (570 community and public, 1,788 commercial), with 107 stations still pending approval. Second, signal interference testing results from 95 stations seeking frequency verification showed that 34 stations in sparse areas can use remaining frequencies, but of 61 stations in dense areas, only 7 passed verification while 54 could not. The NBTC will use the remaining frequencies to revise the FM radio plan and issue new licensing calls by year's end.
Third, the agency is launching the NBTC Radio Quality Award to promote high-quality broadcasting through positive regulation, with selections made nationwide across community, public, and commercial categories, and awards given at district, regional, and national levels; applications open in September with results announced in November. Fourth, the NBTC is promoting the formation of groups among licensees in accordance with relevant announcements.
