BANGKOK, 26 February 2013 Radio Thailand celebrates its 83rd anniversary of radio broadcasting in Thailand on Tuesday, under the slogan “83rd year of radio broadcasting, stepping towards ASEAN”.
Activities were held this morning at the National Broadcasting Station of Thailand on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road to celebrate the event. They included a religious merit-making ceremony, and a worshiping ceremony for the “founding father” of radio broadcasting in Thailand — His Royal Highness Prince Purachatra Jayakara, the Prince of Kamphaengphet, son of King Rama V. Other activities continue in the day including an exhibition on radio broadcasting equipment, and another exhibition on the history of radio broadcasting in Thailand and ASEAN.
Radio broadcasting in Thailand began in 1927 when Prince Purachatra Jayakara ordered the Radio Engineering Division of the Post and Telegraph Department to experiment with radio broadcasts. In that effort, a broadcasting station was later set up on Wireless Road, which has since then earned its name from the activity.
However, radio in its early stage did not air much other than Buddhist sermons and musical performances. It was not until the Second World War that radio broadcasting came to play a prominent role in public life, as a channel for public information, as much as for propaganda.
Today Radio Thailand has channels for news, entertainment, education, foreign language services for people in neighbouring countries and other continents. Radio Thailand World Service now broadcasts in Thai, English, Chinese, Burmese, Lao, Khmer, Malay, German, Japanese and Vietnamese.
According to its director Charoon Chaisorn, Radio Thailand will try to improve itself by widening access to its contents, using satellite carriers and internet, while also improving its contents in foreign languages. All of these, he said, are to prepare Radio Thailand for the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.
