Pro-Thaksin outlet shuts down, sending shockwaves

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From The Thaiger

A bombshell announcement rocks the media landscape as Voice TV, the longstanding bastion of pro-Thaksin views, announces it is shutting down.

The board of Voice TV declared the end of its 15-year run, leaving some 100 journalists and staff members facing the axe. The abrupt closure has left tongues wagging, with no immediate rationale provided for the drastic move.

Established back in 2008, Voice TV initially made waves as a niche satellite channel before expanding its reach to digital terrestrial platforms in 2014. However, in a twist of fate in 2019, the channel relinquished its digital TV presence amidst financial turmoil, reverting to satellite broadcasts and online streams via Facebook and YouTube.

Renowned for its unwavering pro-Thaksin stance, Voice TV’s pundits have often rallied behind the Shinawatra family, raising eyebrows and courting controversy. Notably, the channel’s former anchors have made waves in the political arena, with figures like ex-Future Forward luminaries Pannika Wanich and Piyabutr Saengkanokkul transitioning from news desks to parliamentary seats, reported Thai PBS World.

In related news, the Supreme Administrative Court delivered a final blow, dismissing the Prime Minister’s Office secretariat‘s hefty 2.8 billion baht lawsuit against iTV Public Company. The lawsuit, stemming from a joint agreement with Shin Corp to operate a TV station using the UHF spectrum, has been a thorn in the side since 2007, persisting through numerous administrations.

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Anti-corruption commission lets go of Yingluck’s exoneration

Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has unanimously chosen not to contest the Supreme Court’s ruling, which exonerated former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and five others from malfeasance charges linked to a 240-million baht public relations campaign, according to an insider familiar with the situation.

The NACC filed allegations against Yingluck, former Prime Minister’s Office minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan, Yingluck’s secretary-general at the time, Suranand Vejjajiva, Matichon Plc, Siam Sport Syndicate Plc, and Siam Sport director Ravi Lohtong. They were accused of abusing their authority by neglecting to hold public tenders for the PR campaign from August 2013 to March 2014. Consequently, Matichon and Siam Sport, the media firms, were favoured and received the contracts.

Yingluck, Niwatthamrong and Suranand commissioned Matichon to manage a campaign in 12 provinces to boost infrastructure projects, which the government intended to fund with a 2 trillion baht loan.

The NACC stated that the 240 million baht spent on the campaign was squandered when the promotional roadshow was cancelled following the Constitutional Court decision that the proposed legislation for borrowing was unconstitutional.

However, the Supreme Court ruled that there was no harm to the state concerning the PR fund distribution and contract award to Matichon and Siam Sport, as government organisations and the Cabinet had endorsed the Yingluck government’s transport infrastructure projects. The Budget Bureau also agreed that Yingluck, as prime minister, could allocate a contingency fund for the PR project. Therefore, the NACC had no legal grounds to appeal, the source said.