"For the closure, it is very easy. But the station would survive and employees would not lose their jobs due to donations from red-shirt supporters, she added.Hundreds of red-shirt supporters gathered yesterday at Peace TV's headquarters at the Imperial Lat Phrao department store, most wearing black T-shirts embossed with a message calling for a free and fair referendum process. But after 30 days when we are legally allowed to resume the station, technical complications may arise and it could take weeks or months before the [situation at the] satellite and the cable TV settles," she said.The station would also be affected financially as companies are withdrawing commercials, Thida said. politicsTHE red-shirt satellite station Peace TV was scheduled to suspend operations last night after the Central Administrative Court failed to grant an injunction order against the broadcasting watchdog's decision to suspend its licence.The 30-day suspension was scheduled to go into effect at midnight yesterday.Earlier yesterday, Peace TV executives petitioned the court to repeal the order by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).The court could not make a decision because documents submitted to it were incomplete, according to Peace TV's top executive Jatuporn Prompan, who is also a red-shirt leader.A court hearing on the issue will start next week, he said.Nisit Sinthuprai, a red-shirt leader and Peace TV host, said there was a political reason behind the NBTC order because the referendum was drawing nearer. He said the TV station had presented views against the new charter and urged the public to vote "no".In addition, he said, the NBTC had not treated Peace TV as had been agreed or like other TV stations, which would have been given multiple warnings before having their licences suspended or only some programmes would have been banned.Peace TV was being shut down even though it had acted in accordance with regulations, Jatuporn said.Red-shirt leader Thida Thavornseth said he hoped the station would get court protection through another injunction order but she feared the suspension would result in complications that could force the station off air even longer.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 21, 2016 17:15 UTC