The purpose of this study is to examine the reform of broadcasting media in Thailand during the period, 2000-2006. The Constitution of 1997 initiated reform of the political and media structure. It led to the enactment of the 2000 Act on Organization for Frequency Allocation and Supervision of Telecommunication and Broadcasting Businesses. These legal frameworks advanced institutional restructuring by establishing independent regulatory bodies to regulate the telecommunications and broadcasting industries. They aimed to move regulatory authority from the hands of state bureaucrats and the military to a new independent regulator.
Applying an institutional approach and a stakeholder analysis, the processes of media democratization and media activism are the central concerns of the study. Through the examination of newspaper archives, government documents, and personal interviews, the findings indicate that even though the government entities and their business liaisons are interested in the reform of broadcasting industry, they still want to retain their control of broadcasting media. The goals of diversity and public accessibility gain little attention from the people in power, and the opening of markets to competition is not evidenced. However, three case studies of media reform advocacy demonstrate that civil society movements have made efforts to move the reform of the Thai broadcasting media to enhance media democratization, including independence, diversity, and accessibility. Intellectuals, journalism professionals, and a non-governmental organization--Campaign for Popular Media Reform--have contributed to the reform of the broadcasting media. Although the establishment of a new independent regulator (National Broadcasting Commissions) is not accomplished, the intention of democratizing the broadcasting media is still alive with the participation of the civil sectors in the policy decision process.
