Thailand: Why MPs must protect the independence of public broadcaster Thai PBS

Could the editorial independence of a Thai public broadcaster be undermined? On 30 September 2026, Suphachai Jaismut, an MP from the ruling Bhumjaithai Party, tabled a bill to reform the funding mechanism of Thai PBS (Thai Public Broadcasting Service), a Thai public broadcasting group.

Its funding is currently guaranteed by law, financed by a share of tax revenues from alcohol and tobacco levies that is earmarked for the group. If the amendment were adopted, however, Thai PBS would instead depend on an allocation from the state budget. Government spokesperson Ekkapob Pianpises said that the proposal aimed to strengthen financial transparency at Thai PBS and subject the broadcaster to stricter oversight. In practice, however, it would expose the organisation to greater financial uncertainty: its funding could be renegotiated or cut every year, leaving it more vulnerable to political pressure and interference.

The proposal has raised concerns among media organisations. A coalition of six organisations, including the Thai Journalists Association, issued a statement on 2 October, stressing that financial autonomy is essential for a public service broadcaster, as it enables them to hold political leaders to account without fear of interference.

Established in 2008 under the Thai Public Broadcasting Service Act, Thai PBS has become a model of independence for public service media in Southeast Asia. This independence enables it to investigate the country's economic monopolies, something few media outlets still dare to do.

While the media in Thailand is no longer subject to the same level of censorship as it was under the military government, they still face pressure from political and economic interests. The Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand (MCOT), another Thai public broadcaster, is a state enterprise under the Office of the Prime Minister, and is often accused by press freedom organisations of avoiding criticism of the government.

Globally, RSF is observing a crisis affecting public service media. In July 2025, the organisation published a report on public service media in Europe, documenting the offensive against them and setting out recommendations to safeguard their independence from political power and ensure their long-term viability. In the United States, Donald Trump has targeted public media by seeking to eliminate congressional funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), as well as for foreign public broadcasters.

Thailand ranks 92nd out of 180 countries and territories in RSF's 2026 World Press Freedom Index, largely due to a legal and security environment that is hostile to journalism.