BANGKOK, Sept 26 – MCOT Plc, one of Thailand’s major broadcasters, will appeal the Central Administrative Court’s verdict, ordering it to pay Bt55.5 million to news announcer Sorayuth Suthassanachinda for a news programme produced in collaboration in 2005-2006.
MCOT President Anek Permwongseni said MCOT should not be subject to the payment since Rai Som Co, owned by Mr Sorayuth, breached the revenue-sharing contract for the “Khui Khui Khao” news programme broadcast on Channel 9 between March 2005 and June 2006.
The programme was jointly produced by MCOT Plc and Rai Som Co with Mr Sorayuth appearing as one of the anchormen.
The Administrative Court ruled yesterday that MCOT must return a 30 per cent rebate for the excess commercials in the programme, equivalent to Bt49 million plus Bt6.5 million interest.
Mr Anek said Rai Som Co should not be entitled to the rebate given its intention to cover up the excess commercials, adding that Rai Som informed MCOT of the “spill-over” commercials only for March 2005 but failed to provide MCOT any information on commercials from April 2005 to June 2006.
MCOT management later learned about the excess commercials and refused to give Rai Som the 30 per cent rebate, he said.
Mr Anek said the minority of judges agreed that MCOT should not be subject to pay the rebate to Rai Som. He said Rai Som was dishonest to its business partner and its behaviour was against business procedure.
The MCOT president said an appeal would be made in 30 days, clarifying that the case, in which Rai Som was the plaintiff, was separate from another lawsuit in which MCOT was filing against Rai Som through the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
