iTV: Born of Bloody May, trouble under Thaksin, and now Pita’s nemesis?

24 Sept 22:51 Key points summarised by AI

Pita Limjaroenrat's path to premiership is jeopardized by his inherited shares in iTV, leading to an Election Commission investigation into whether his media shareholding violates constitutional rules for MPs.
iTV originated from the 1992 'Bloody May' crackdown, established as Thailand's first independent broadcaster to provide balanced news and counter state censorship.
The station faced significant controversy under Thaksin Shinawatra's family ownership, with accusations of editorial interference and censorship leading to internal disputes and the dismissal of 'iTV rebels'.
After a prolonged legal battle over concession terms and fees, iTV's concession was revoked in 2007, leading to its transformation into the public broadcaster Thai PBS.
Recent scrutiny surrounds iTV shareholder meeting minutes, allegedly doctored to state the company was still active in media, a claim that directly impacts Pita's eligibility and was later clarified by iTV's board.

Public expects most Kla Tham MPs to back Cabinet in censure vote, NIDA Poll finds

Yesterday 12:30 Key points summarised by AI

A recent NIDA poll indicates that a plurality of the public (30.38%) anticipates Kla Tham Party MPs will vote to support all 18 cabinet ministers targeted in the upcoming no-confidence debate.
Respondents believe the Ministry of Interior (38.78%) and the Prime Minister’s Office (21.37%) will face the toughest questioning during the censure debate.
Economic issues, particularly alleged incompetence in addressing problems (34.27%) and the rising cost of living (25.88%), are cited as the primary concerns for the government during the censure.
The public holds high expectations for the Opposition's case, with 45.65% believing clear, concrete evidence will be presented against all 18 ministers, and 41.22% expecting substantial evidence against specific ministers.