Community radio in Thailand is an alternative to public, commercial and state radio with
unique characteristics in that listeners can participate at all levels. Community radio varies
considerably in its definitions as well as serving several purposes depending on its role in the
nation's media system. However, its fundamental philosophy is similar in that radio is used to
serve the needs and the interests of the community. Access and participation in small-scale
media may not only empower the voiceless, but also maintain local identity and cultures. The
reformation of the Thai broadcasting media system by Section 40 of the 1997 constitution
and the 2000 Broadcasting Act has increased the chance for some communities to use radio
to fulfill their community development needs. The aims of this thesis are: to explore Thai
community radio in the broader context of community radio internationally; to examine Thai
broadcasting policies on community radio; to explore the development of Thai community
radio in relation to the wider liberalisation of the media between 1998 and 2002; and to
analyse similarities and differences in station management, programming and audience
reception in the four different models of community radio that developed in a range of
different provincial Thai community radio stations. A comparative case study using
qualitative research methods was used to examine the four case studies, namely at Petchaburi
(PRD, 1998) Nakhon Si Thammarat (MCOT, 1998), Roi Et (INN, 2000), and Kanchanaburi
(people's radio, 200 I).
The contribution of this thesis lies in its exploration of different models of Thai community
radio so as to illustrate different interpretations by several stakeholders of community radio
discourse, as well as reflecting the constraints on community broadcasting caused by the
political economy of the broadcasting system and regulatory inconsistencies. It concludes that
community radio has not yet contributed to a more empowered media because of several
constraints. Thai community radio did not pursue real participatory communication to
empower its listeners. It merely widened the public space for local communities to have more
choices for information community-based programs with phone-in formats that provided twoway
communication. Thai community radio has not created a wider liberalisation of the
media, however, its development facilitated media democratisation through promoting the
media reform process, and increasing the awareness of citizens' rights among ordinary
people. Station manager and middle-class activists played important roles in putting forth
local issues for public discussion. Increasing numbers of local people became alert to their
rights to communicate as promised by the 1997 constitution, but unfortunately media reform
lacked government support. The Thaksin government had an ambivalent attitude and
contradictory policies towards community radio.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218710 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Klaikao, Lucksana, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Professional Communication |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Lucksana Klaikao |
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