BANGKOK, May 10 (TNA) – Digital TV operators of seven stations have returned their licenses to the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said the licenses of seven digital TV channels were returned.
They include Bright TV 20, MCOT Family 14, Spring News 19, Voice TV 21, Spring 26, BEC’s 28 SD and 13 Family.
Digital TV operators who wanted to terminate their business were required to return their licenses within today. 
Mr Takorn said he told the concerned operators to pay extra compensation to their employees who would lose jobs.
This morning Shine Bunnag, vice chairman of Nation Multimedia Group, met Mr Takorn to inquire about details of the compensation that the NBTC would offer to the digital TV operators who decided to return their licenses.
The National Council for Peace and Order recently issued an order to allow troubled digital TV operators to return the licenses to the NBTC.
Mana Triyapiwat, former mass communications dean at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the license returns would raise income for remaining channels but many people would lose jobs.
The NBTC did not require digital TV operators who would end their businesses to keep part of compensation from it to help their employees, he said. (TNA)
