Thailand is in the process of switching from analog to digital television broadcasting services.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has fixed a date of 1 to 24 April 2014 for trial broadcast by digital television operators granted licenses to operate 24 commercial channels.
A full launch broadcast is scheduled to begin on 25 April.
In the first stage starting in April 2014, residents in four provinces will have access to digital television broadcasting services. These provinces include Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai, and Songkhla. In May, local residents in Ubon Ratchathani, Surat Thani, and Rayong will be able to watch digital television.
Those living in Sing Buri, Sukhothai, Khon Kaen, and Udon Thani will have the chance in June, when digital broadcasting is expected to cover 50% of households in Thailand, or 11.45 million families. There are about 22 million families across the country.
In the second stage, 13 provinces will have access to digital broadcast by December 2014. In 2015, the second year of the terrestrial digital television broadcasting, residents in 39 provinces will be able to watch digital television. By then, digital television broadcasting services will cover 80 percent of households in Thailand, or about 18 million families.
In the third year, the digital television operators that were granted licenses are required to set up additional stations in more provinces, so that the digital system will cover at least 90% of all households. In the fourth year, the system coverage will be at least 95%.