THAILAND

30-Year UHF Broadcast License Awarded: Siam TV & Communication Co., a venture led by Siam Commercial Bank, has been awarded the concession for Thailand’s first commercial TV station using ultra-high broadcast frequencies. Terms of the bid were not announced. The winner was disclosed at a Cabinet meeting. The bank’s main partner in the broadcast venture is United Cinema Co., the media unit of the Crown Property Bureau, which manages the assets of the royal family. The bureau is the largest shareholder of Siam Commercial Bank, the nation’s fourth largest. Also part of the winning group is Dhana Siam Finance & Securities, the merchant banking unit of Siam Commercial.