Pay-television operator Cable Thai Holdings is planning a bid for the domestic rights to Thai Premier League football, according to the television company’s chairman Wichai Thongtang.
Wichai said CTH is keen to build on its football content after last week acquiring rights in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos to the English Premier League for the three-year cycle from 2013-14 to 2015-16 (TV Sports Markets 15:11).
He said that CTH was likely to bid for the domestic league rights with support from Thai media group Siam Sport Syndicate, which also backed the English Premier League bid.
“The Thai Premier League is must-have local content for us to serve our viewers,” Wichai said, according to The Nation newspaper.
Pay-television operator TrueVisions currently holds the rights to the TPL in a three-year deal from 2011 to 2013. The Nation reported that the deal is estimated to be worth Bt100 million (€2.57 million/$3.3 million) per year.
The bidding for the league’s domestic rights from 2014 to 2016 is expected to open in January 2013.
Wichai also that CTH may sublicense some English Premier League rights to Thai pay-television broadcasters. “You can win (the EPL rights), but you must not lose your friends,” he said.