Music and entertainment company RS "is keen on bidding for the media rights to the Thailand Premier League" for the upcoming three football seasons, which "is expected to result in more intense competition for the broadcast rights," according to Watchiranont Thongtep of THE NATION. RS President & CEO Surachai Chetchotisak said, "The Thailand Premier League is one of top three soccer leagues that the company wishes to secure, behind the English Premier League and Spain's La Liga." It "appears that the competition for the broadcasting rights for coming TPL seasons will be high," as music and entertainment company GMM Grammy and Cable Thai Holdings "also aim to acquire them" after TrueVisions' contract with the FA of Thailand under the Patronage of His Majesty the King ends next year. RS aims to use sports program "to strengthen its pay-TV service and attract subscribers" after the service is officially launched in August (THE NATION, 1/30).
SUN COMES THROUGH: In Bangkok, Saengwit Kewaleewongsatorn reported RS "will rename its RS Sport La Liga Channel to the Sun Channel." A budget of 50M baht ($1.7M) for this year "will be used to enhance its content for various audiences, but especially men since it mainly broadcasts La Liga football matches." The Sun Channel will also change from pay-TV to semi-free-to-air, "so households receiving broadcast signals from RS's Sunbox set-top boxes can view the channel" (BANGKOK POST, 1/30).
