BANGKOK, April 25 – Marking the 60th anniversary of Thai Television and 35th anniversary of MCOT, Thailand’s leading broadcasting company MCOT Plc (formerly the Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand) on Wednesday kicked off its anniversary celebration, aiming to become a media leader in the region and in the world arena.
Brahman and Buddhist ceremonies began early in the morning, led by MCOT chairman Dr Sorajak Kasemsuvan.
The chairman said the celebration is to affirm to Thai society that MCOT will stand as Thailand’s main media company, bringing knowledge and benefits to the Thai public, and is to be an international leader in the age of new media and technological changes.
“Over 1,400 staff countrywide are determined to make MCOT the country’s main organisation that brings benefits to society and to the country’s glory in the Southeast Asian region and the international community,” said Dr Sorajak.
He noted that MCOT will use its media equipment–television, radio and new media–to provide a variety of content to the audience, while it will adjust to changes worldwide, for he is confident media is a kind of education institute in which entertainment is well blended, so-called ‘edutainment’.
Later in the morning, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra presided over the celebration ceremony and launched the Thai News Agency’s ‘Bird’s Eye News’, a new form of news presentation.
On this occasion, the premier said she wanted Thai media to provide analytical and useful content to the public for further knowledge, while journalists should be able to simplify difficult subjects that is easier to understand for the audience. The media should also be responsible for the content they provide and should as well suggest solutions to the society.
Other special speeches were also held on the direction of Thailand’s television and on the direction of the Thai economy by the chairman himself and by former finance minister Dr Virabongsa Ramangkura.
MCOT was born on Nov 1, 1952 as the Thai Television Company, broadcasting as ‘Thai Television Channel 4’.
The company was became a state enterprise under the Office of the Prime Minister’s supervision named ‘the Mass Communication Organization of Thailand’ (MCOT) on April 9, 1977. It was later listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) on Oct 8, 2004, and registered and incorporated as a state-owned public limited company on Nov 17, 2004 with the Finance Ministry being the major shareholder.
The established mission of MCOT is to operate various mass media businesses, including core businesses operated by MCOT such as the Modernine TV Station, MCOT radio stations and the Thai News Agency.
