The clients are Voice TV, Thairath TV and Springnews TV.

The state media enterprise argued that it might be unfair if the network lessors remained delinquent even though it had taken full responsibility by offering them remedial measures under a resolution passed by the Broadcasting Committee in February.

However, Pakdee Manaves, deputy secretary-general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunica-tions Communication, said the Broadcasting Committee had not yet taken this matter up because it had no intention of intervening in any agreements struck between private broadcasting licensees.

“On behalf of the broadcasting regulator, we would like to ensure freedom and fairness in running a broadcasting business.

“Therefore, MCOT should provide further clarifications and explanations regarding this request within 30 days,” he said.

The NBTC also acknowledged that the differences between the parties had remained since last year when the stations complained that MCOT’s rollout of the digital TV broadcasting network was behind schedule.

Once receiving clarification from MCOT, Pakdee’s office would invite all parties to the negotiating table to find the best resolution.

An MCOT source said that so far the company has been paid only three months of lease payments from Voice TV station and just once from Thairath TV.

Springnews TV has paid nothing so far.

Meanwhile, the government has called for the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to provide information on how Thailand could benefit legally from commercialisation of its plants.

The department was responding to a rumour that Japanese researchers had asked for patent protection in Thailand on kratom-based painkillers. The agency insisted there was no such case.

Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said Thailand would not grant any patent for exclusive rights to a natural plant. Also, kratom is classified as an illegal narcotic in Thailand. People cannot sell, produce, export or possess it.

She also explained that as Thailand is a member of the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD), any person wishing to derive benefits from Thai plants needed to ask for permission and to share said benefit in the case of commercial usage. That obligation under the CBD also applies to multinational pharmaceutical companies.

She said the government of Thailand and other developing countries had called for the WIPO to provide information on the regulations on the commercialisation of local plants or herbs.

Kratom is a psychoactive drug derived from the leaves of the kratom plant (Mitragyna speciosa) that has been widely used in Southeast Asia – especially Thailand, where it is now banned – as a recreational drug. But it has recently become popular in the West for its supposed medicinal purposes. The drug is known for its sedative effects, but in low doses it also acts as a stimulant.

According to the website biothai.net, Japanese scientists have patented painkilling drugs made from kratom in Japan and the United States since 2014.

According to researchers at Chiba National University and Josai University, the kratom painkillers act like opium-derived analgesics (such as morphine) and are especially useful because they do not have some of the undesirable side effects of opiates. The research team is now asking for patent protection internationally under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, of which Thailand is a member.

Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, deputy director-general of the Commerce Ministry’s Trade Negotiations Department, said yesterday that she would lead the Thai negotiating team to Islamabad for the fourth round of talks on trade liberalisation from today to Thursday.

“Thailand will ask for Pakistan to open the market for many products including processed food, sugar, chemicals, petrochemicals and plastics, rubber and rubber products, wood, printing products, textiles and garments, electric appliances and automobiles and parts,” she said.

The two countries will also discuss rules of origin and other issues, such as customs procedures, cooperation in many areas such as sanitary standards, trade remedies, trade facilitation, and technical barriers and laws that should be eliminated to promote trade.

The negotiations started last year.

The Pakistani-Thai FTA would be beneficial to both countries and significantly increase bilateral trade and investment.

It would enable Thailand to expand its exports into South Asia as well as other Muslim nations in the surrounding region.

Thailand will act as a gateway for Pakistan to penetrate the Asean Economic Community.

In 2014, Thailand enjoyed a surplus of US$734 million (Bt25.4 billion) with Pakistan on two-way trade of $1.01 billion. Similar trade surpluses have been registered since 2010.

in 2014, Thailand’s exports to Pakistan reached $874 million. Pakistan is Thailand’s second-largest trading partner in South Asia after India, and 46th globally.

Thailand ships to Pakistan fabrics, textiles, vehicles and parts, air-conditioners and parts, plastics and chemicals.

Imports are machinery and parts, musical instruments, processed and semi-processed fishery products, ores and steel.

The department and Jetro yesterday began a two-day workshop and conference on “Capacity Building for Thai Entrepreneurs on Hotel Management and Related Hospitality Services” to promote Thai hotel and service enterprises to businesspeople from Japan and countries in Southeast Asia.

Keynote speakers from Japan were invited to provide information on investment opportunities to more than 50 companies in Thailand. Japanese hoteliers also explained Japan’s investment law and other conditions. Japan has potential for wellness hostility.

Chantira Jimreivat Vivatrat, deputy director-general of the International Trade Promotion Department, said the service sector contributed up to 51.9 per cent of gross domestic product in Thailand last year while employing 45 per cent of the workforce.

“Hospitality is the target for this conference because it has high potential as the current government is putting more efforts into driving this sector,” she said.

Tourism business contributed up to 17.3 per cent of GDP last year, she added.

The World Tourism Organisation has predicted that by 2020, the number of international travellers will increase to 1.6 billion. The Asia-Pacific region will play a major role, commanding 25 per cent of the global market, or about 400 million tourists.

Tourists from Southeast Asia are expected to account for one-third of the Asia-Pacific total, or about 130 million to 140 million travellers.

Chantira said her department would work to improve service quality, particularly at small and medium-sized hotels, to cope with the surge of foreign tourists.

“Our operators, especially SMEs, should be able to cope with the growth of tourism and take long-term benefits for sustainable growth,” she said.

The department is also planning to promote proficiency and expertise of Thai hospitality to emerging markets including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, as all these countries need the expertise operators in Thailand can share.