www.TelecentreChannel.orgis the initiative for the further development of ICT use through the “ICT Learning Community Centre” or “ThaiTelecentre”. The ThaiTelecentre has been set up for 5 years and was originated by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to reduce the digital divide in Thai society as well as using ICT to help achieve an equal quality of life for all.

The Research Centre of Communication and Development Knowledge Management (CCDKM), Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Consultant to ThaiTelecentre, has supported research and development, whilst CCDKM has close collaboration with the ThaiTelecentre networks. In 2008 ThaiTelecentre had only 20 centers expanding to 1,880 centers nationwide today.

With the rapid growth of ThaiTelecentres and associates along with the creative activities of the ICT Development Programs such as career and income, tourism and economic self- knowledge, CCDKM has developed ICT in the form of multimedia TV online to support the community. CCDKM has established a pilot TV station broadcasting live online -http://www.TelecentreChannel.org- to be the alternative for all networks in the Thai community and sharing knowledge with country members of Telecentre.org in the 6 continents worldwide.

It can be seen that http://www.Telecentrechannel.orgis truly a developed community television channel as the program and contents are produced by local communities and managed by people in the community. The pioneer group of Telecentrechannel.org is led by the Public library’s ThaiTelecentre in Nan province in the North Region. TonKraFun Volunteer Media group, Mr.Wutipong Pootikul, Ms.Rungnapa Kawee and Ms. Siripha Laosuwanvej have implemented activities towards media literacy training development for the kids and youth in Nan province and their project won the Multimedia Award from the Ministry of Information Communication and Technology.

With the continuous development of ICT in Thailand and a dynamic Telecentre network in community development, Thailand has been elected chairman of Asia Pacific Telecentre Network (APTN) as well as taking over the duty of the APTN Secretariat to be regional community coordinator for ICT4D from 2012-2015. Therefore www.TelecentreChannel.orgwill be an effective communication channel publicizing achievements, lessons and other technological involvement and to leverage the growth of Thailand’s ICT4D to regional stage.

During the pilot broadcast program if you have content related to new media for ICT development or other useful knowledge for the community please contact us
E-mail : pchaturongkul@telecentre.org or http://www.telecentrechannel.org Our pilot schedule is on-air 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, 7 days a week.