Update 4.50
All free TV channel, except government's NBT, relayed the signals from anti-government Blue Sky channel during protest leader Suthep Thuagsuban reading an important statement of the day at four pm. Suthep said the free TV stations had "cooperated" to relay the signal with "good understanding."
Free TVs on 4 pm relayed the same signal from anti-government Blue Sky channel which live broadcasts Suthep Thaugsuban's speech
Update at 4.00
Thai PBS public channel intermittently broadcasted signal from anti-government Blue Sky channel during news pragram in a small window, a source said, as a result of the talks between the the TPBS and the protesters , while government's NBT or Channel 11 was seized by protesters at four pm.
The negotiation at Thai PBS was broadcasted on Blue Sky. During the talk, a representative of the protesters said "If you don't follow our request, we'll have to blackout the staton. We have to. That's the only way. We can't let it be other ways else. This is what I was ordered to do. And I have to deliver that mission."
A TPBS reporter, refused to be identified due to safety concern, said the broadcasting of Blue Sky channel in a small window was part of the agreement made between the channel executives and the protesters afte thousands of protesters occupied the TPBS headquarter on Vibhavadi Rangsit rd. this morning.
There was a written circular notice for TPBS staff, saying that the station agreed to broadcast signal from bluesky but would also give equal time to the government if the government has a live program. The paper had no signaters of any executive.
TPBS special news program "Solution of Thailand" captured at 3.30 pm of December 1, 2013. The small window on the upper right side broadcasts signal from Bluesky, while the small window on the lower right side broadcasts signal from Nation Channel. (Photo courtesy of Saksith Saiyasombat.)
The source, however, said that the sitation may change. "It depends on the mood and the numbers of protesters," she added.
Meanwhile, government's NBT channel was reportedly seized by the government after a failed negotiation between the protesters and the channel executive.
A few thousands of anti-government protesters on Sunday around noon pressured Thai PBS (TPBS), the only public TV station of the country, to broadcast signal from the anti-government Blue Sky channel.
A TPBS reporter, refused to be identified due to safety concern, told Prachatai at one pm of Sunday that the anti-government protesters were all over the TPBS compound including the first floor of Building A which is an administrative building.
The protesters pressured the security guard to open doors of Building A. A rally stage was set up on the lawn next to the building and the protesters were blowing whistles from time to time. The protest leaders are now negotiating with the station top executives, who reportedly said they better order a blackout than to be forced to broadcast. The operation building is still safe, she added.
“When some protesters saw that I scanned TPBS staff ID to enter the administration building, they came to me and lectured me on how I should report about the rally,” She said, adding that she chose not to wear the staff ID to avoid being noticed. People are still free to get in and out the compound.
No police inside the TPBS compound, she added.
The anti-government protests gear up to seize major government compounds and all free TV stations as they filed ultimatum for the government to resign. The anti-government protests arrived the Thai PBS TV station at Vipawadee Rd. after they announced they would take control of TV stations to have them turn to “serve the people.”
Sathit Wongnongtoey, a resigned Democrat MP and the protest leader announced on the stage on Sunday morning at Democracy Monument that the protests would be separated into eight rallies which would head to different government units and TV stations across Bangkok. The nine targets are TPBS, Channel 3, Channel 5, Channel 7, NBT station, the Metropolitan Police Bureau, the Royal Thai police, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Labor.
Thaworn Senniam, Deputy General Secretary of the Democrat Party, also announced he would lead the protesters to seize the government’s NBT channel and “broadcast the victory of the anti-government movement to the people.”
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