People's Television

People's Television (PTV) was a Thai satellite television station. It was established by former executives of the Thai Rak Thai party after the 2006 Thailand military coup overthrew the Thai Rak Thai-led government. It launched despite warnings from the Council for National Security, the military junta that seized power. PTV executives insisted that if ASTV (a satellite television station run by anti-Thai Rak Thai activist and media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul) could operate, then so could PTV.

PTV's inaugural broadcast on 1 March 2007 was stopped because of CAT Telecom's refusal to grant an internet link from Bangkok to a satellite up-link station in Hong Kong. CAT Telecom claimed that it never received PTV's application for internet access. PTV executives claimed that CAT Chairman and junta leader Saprang Kalayanamitr was preventing it from broadcasting for political reasons.

PTV executives led several public protests against the junta's censorship. In a demonstration on 23 March 2007 attended by 1,500-3,000 protestors, thousands of police in riot gear attempted to disperse the protest. The protests caused the junta to request that the government declare emergency rule in Bangkok.

PTV was controversially shut down by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in the early days of the 2010 Thailand political protests.

The new television station was led by former Thai Rak Thai Party executives Veera Musikapong, Jatuporn Prompan, and Nattawut Saikua, as well as former government spokesman Chakraphob Penkhae. Veera denied that any funding for the station came from former Thai Rak Thai party leader Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin lawyer, Noppadon Pattama, likewise denied any involvement between Thaksin and PTV.

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