Channel 9 MCOT HD

MCOT HD
MCOT HD logo
Launched	24 June 1955
Network	MCOT
Owned by	MCOT PCL
Picture format	576i (4:3 SDTV) 1080i (16:9 HDTV)
Audience share	0.245 (March 2016, Nielsen)
Slogan	เปิดโลกกว้าง สร้างความสุข (Discover happiness)
Country	Thailand
Language	Thai
Broadcast area	Thailand
Formerly called	Thai Television Channel 4 (1952 - 1974) Thai Color Television Channel 9 (1970 - 1983) Thai Color Television Channel 9 M.C.O.T. (1984 - November 6, 2002) Modernine TV (November 6, 2002 - September 9, 2015)
Sister channel(s)	MCOT Family MCOT 1 MCOT WORLD
Website	mcot.net
Availability
Terrestrial
Analog	Channel 4 (SD) (VHF9 - Bangkok)
Digital	Channel 30 (HD) (MUX3/UHF40 - Bangkok)
Satellite
Must Carry	Channel 30 (HD)
TrueVisions	Channel 30 (HD)
Freeview HD	Channel 30 (HD)
Cable
TrueVisions	Channel 30 (HD)
Streaming media
Watch live	www.mcot.net/tv

Channel 9 MCOT HD (Thai: ช่อง 9 เอ็มคอตเอชดี) is the first terrestrial television channel in Thailand and is owned by MCOT Public Company Limited. Its inaugural broadcast, in black and white, was on June 24, 1955 on Channel 4 VHF. The channel has broadcast in colour on Channel 9 VHF since 1970, and has not broadcast in black and white since 1974. MCOT PCL and the TV station are regulated by the Minister of the Office of the Thai Prime Minister (OPM) and the Permanent Secretary for the OPM. The company's president is Dhewindra Wongwanich.

History

Thai Television Channel 4

Thai Television Channel 4 was the first TV station in Thailand. Incorporated on November 10, 1952, it operated under the management of Thai Television Company Limited. Plans for the future Channel 4 were made in early 1952 by Sapphasiri Wiriyasari, an official in the public-relations department of the Prime Minister's Office. He wrote an article about the new technology ("Visual Radio"), which was distributed to a group of government officials in the public-relations department. Wiriyasari was assigned by the department to the United Kingdom to study the medium of television. After returning to Thailand around 1949, he proposed the government establishment of television broadcasting in another article, "Time Thailand Should Have Television". At a 1950 cabinet meeting, prime minister Chom Phon Plaek Phibunsongkhram, instructed the department to establish a television station. A budget was outlined for the following year, but opposition from a majority of MPs (from the government and opposition parties) to the project's perceived wastefulness prevented it from proceeding.

In September and November 1952, the ministers and the public relations department (Luang Saranuprapan, ML Khap Koonchorn, Prasong Hongsanan, Phao Sriyanond, Lek Sanguanchatsornkrai, Muni Mahasanthana Wetchayanrangsit and Luen Phongsophon) supported the development of television in Thailand to provide news and information, quality programming and education. Public support resulted in the allocation of ฿20 million, and the Thai Television Company (TTVC) was founded. Chamnong Rangsikoon was its head producer, Amporn Photchanaphisoot the head director of photography, Somchai Malacharoen the chief cameraman, Thana Nakkhaphan the broadcast engineer, Kriangkrai (Sanan) Chiwapricha the transmitter chief, Thamrong Worasoot and Fu Chomchuen transmitter and antenna supervisor, Chan Tanthakosai chief director for sound, Sapphasiri Wiriyasiri the lighting chief and Raksak Watthanaphanit head of television services.

TTVC established a TTV radio station (Thai: สถานีวิทยุกระจายเสียง ท.ท.ท.) before the television station. The inaugural Thai Television Channel 4 broadcast was June 24, 1955. Using a 10-kW monaural transmitter, 525 lines per picture and 30 frames per second, the original broadcast schedule was Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 to 11:00 pm.

Thai Color Television Channel 9

In 1974, TTVC moved its black-and-white, 525-line Channel 4 system to a colour, 625-line system on Channel 9.

Thai Color Television Channel 9 (MCOT)

On February 3, 1977 the That cabinet, led by Prime Minister Thanin Kraivichien, issued a resolution dissolving the TTVC. Thai Color Television Channel 9 ended with the March 26, 1977 Communication Organization of Thailand BE 2520 (1977) decree establishing the Mass Communication Organization of Thailand (MCOT; อ.ส.ม.ท./อสมท), a state enterprise under the Prime Minister with a ฿10 million budget. The Channel 9 operation continued on April 9, 1977 as Thai Color Television Channel 9 (MCOT).

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and King Bhumibol Adulyadej officially opened the MCOT buildings on a 14-acre (5.7 ha) with a television transmission, the largest in the country at the time, at 9:25 am on June 28, 1981. On July 16, 1987, Thai Television Channel 3 and Thai Television Channel 9 (MCOT) signed an expansion agreement. In 1992, Sangchai Sunthornwat became the director of MCOT.

Modernine TV

On November 6, 2002, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra inaugurated Modernine TV. It is also still known as Channel 9 (Thai: ช่อง 9). During the September 19, 2006 coup d'état, Thaksin declared a state of emergency in the Bangkok area from a mobile phone in the U.S. live on Modernine TV before the station was ordered to stop broadcasting.

Daily opening

Modernine TV is a 24-hour station, with its broadcast day beginning 5–10 minutes before the Buddha's quotes. The royal anthem is played, followed by the quotes and the first programme of the day.

Transmitter location

Modernine TV is broadcast from the Baiyoke Tower II in Bangkok.

Schedule history

Years	Time
24 June 1955 – 25 March 1970	19:00-21:00
26 March 1970 – 31 December 1986	18:00-00:00
1 January 1987 – 31 December 1989	16:00-00:00
1 January 1990 – 31 December 1993	12:00-00:00
1 January 1994 – 31 December 2004	06:00-00:00
1 January 2005-present	24 hours

See also

• Media of Thailand

References

External links

• MCOT Website