NBTC to probe distribution of set-top boxes
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will inspect digital TV set-top box inventories of some distributors, who participated in its programme of giving away vouchers to households for the boxes, to see if there were any irregu
The participating firms had to have a permit to import the boxes and a sticker to certify participation in the project. Fifty-five firms are participating and a total of 13.6 million stickers were requested.
Some companies reportedly imported a lower number of boxes than the number of requested stickers. Instead of distributing the boxes to the households, they reportedly offered to pay the households a certain amount of money in exchange for their vouchers. These vouchers would then be redeemed from the NBTC at the full voucher price of Bt690 each. The NBTC has already given away 8 million vouchers, of which half have been redeemed. Of the total redeemed, Crown Tech Advance, under AJ brand, had the highest share of 580,000 boxes, Samart 450,000, One Box Home 96,000, VPS Thai 280,000, and Cleo National Group 152,000.
