All Systems still a no go in Thailand

Aussie announcer quits Thai station.
 
Since the military took control of the government in Thailand on May 22nd, Phuket station Live 89.5 FM has been off air, along with thousands of small commercial stations in the country. Aussie Kirsty Meyer is one of the Live 89.5 announcers affected by the enforced shut down.
 
With no signs of the station getting back on air any time soon, Kirsty reveals to radioinfo that she is planning to return to Australia, and recalls what happened in her radio station the day of the military took over.
 
“As the news broke that the military had taken over the government and that curfews were being imposed, not just in Bangkok, but nationwide, there was definitely a shift in atmosphere. There were lots of phone calls and texts back and forth around the radio station, and it was just a guessing game as to whether we should just tone down the breakfast show, mentioning nothing about the coup and leave out the news, or not go on air at all.
 
“Eventually, a decision was made, not to go on air. We thought at the time that it would just be a couple of days, but now, over a month later, the station is still off air and still making contact with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) on a daily basis, receiving good news one day, bad news the next, it’s just a waiting game.
 
The crackdown on radio stations is ongoing. Concerned that a small core of unlicensed ‘rogue’ stations in the north are stirring political unrest, the military is tracking them down, and closing them.
 
On June 18th, the country’s military raided the studios of four foreign-language radio stations in the province of Pattaya. They were forced off air and three of them were closed down after being found to be in breach of rules linked to the coup.
 
The navy and police teams were joined by officials from the regulator NBTC for the raid, in which amplifiers and other broadcasting equipment were seized from each of the radio stations.
 
Some stations returned to air, after restrictions and a night curfew in Thailand’s main cities were lifted, but it’s believed they may not have had permission to do so.
 
In Phuket, five leading announcers, at Phuket’s most popular English station Live 89.5, including Kirsty Meyer, have been on ‘extended holidays’ until normalcy returns. Meyer moved to Phuket in 2012 to take on the role, after previously working in the Middle East. At one point she thought that the station might go back on air:
 
“We briefly went back on air after the military lifted the curfew, but in less than 24 hours, the station was phoned by local officials and ordered to go back off air again, so we did. At this point, they can only speculate as to when the station will return to air, but it’s believed the situation will more than likely be resolved by mid-August.
 
“The effect it’s had on the radio station has prompted my resignation, and although it’s unfortunate that I’m leaving under these circumstances, I am extremely excited about returning to Australia, it feels like the right time.”
 
Kirsty Meyer has now resigned due to the effect the ongoing coup has had on the radio station.
 
Her decision to return to Australia this month, has ended a long stint working abroad in radio news and on air, including as a breakfast co-host. After graduating from AFTRS in 2007, Meyer worked in news and on air in Dubai, then moved to Thailand two years ago. She is now on her way back to Australia and will be looking for work back when she arrives.
 
She has told radioinfo: “I’m really looking forward to moving home, being able to just pop around the corner to family and friends is such a luxury that you don’t appreciate until it’s a 14 hour plus flight away.
 
“I’ve learned a lot working abroad, there are certain challenges you face in the overseas English speaking radio market that you’ll probably never experience at home, like camels blocking roads in your traffic reports, to situations like now, being taken off air while the government is overtaken by the military, it’s fascinating.
 
“I’m hoping the experience has better prepared me to take on the new challenges I face moving back to Australia, and I’m very excited to hit the ground running.”

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