Academics call for withdrawal of bill to change Thai PBS funding

A group of 271 academics today called for the withdrawal from parliament of a bill to amend the law governing Thai PBS, warning that it threatens the independence and financial autonomy of public service media, which they described as key elements of the “fifth pillar” of democratic governance.

After examining the bill’s structural principles and its potential economic and social impacts, the group said the draft contained a hidden agenda that ran counter to democratic principles and could undermine financial autonomy.

The group said the Thai PBS funding model was specifically designed to receive funding directly from an earmarked tax. This was not accidental, but a legal mechanism deliberately established to shield the broadcaster from pressure or interference by the executive branch through budget allocations that could influence its news coverage.

Shifting the source of Thai PBS funding from taxes on sin goods to the annual budget would undermine its status as an independent public service broadcaster, turning it into a state media outlet similar to NBT, MCOT or Channel 5, the group said. Such a change would also erode public trust in the professionalism of public service media.

The group said the earmarked tax that funds Thai PBS is separate from the excise tax revenue collected from liquor and tobacco operators, which goes into state coffers. The earmarked tax is a special allocation from products that have negative externalities, intended to support a non-profit public media service.

If the levy were scrapped, liquor and tobacco operators would benefit directly because they would no longer have to pay the special fee, reducing their costs, the group argued.

“There is no reason whatsoever for the government to scrap the special fee on liquor and tobacco operators,” the group said in its statement, adding that the fee had been used to support public service media such as Thai PBS.

The group added that shifting Thai PBS funding, amounting to up to 2 billion baht a year, to the central government budget would require the government to allocate funds that could otherwise be spent on education or health promotion.

Among the 271 academics who signed the joint statement were Dr Arthit Urairat, Dr Chirmsak Pinthong, Professor Vicha Mahakun, Professor Trairat Jarutat, Professor Pranee Tinakorn, Dr Supakorn Buasai and Associate Professor Dr Pawadee Thong-Uthai.