Abstract:
Royal Thai Army Radio and Television Station known as TV5 was founded in 1958 to be television media presenting good rapport between military affairs and population. Its responsibilities are sending broadcast television and radio signal following the policy of Board of Directors of TV5 including providing news, knowledge and entertainment, the policy of corporate management in accordance with the policy of Royal Thai Army and government. TV5 has constantly developed its business for the future progress and also expanded many areas for sending signal to all over areas in Thailand. Apart from providing beneficial knowledge for audience, its corporate business also has a purpose of showing a proper and good image of Thai Army. In 1997, Thailand had experienced the economic crisis. Most organization were affected from this issue so much that they closed down, especially financial institutions. Moreover, Government of Thailand needed to manage television and radio waves in accordance with Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (1997), causing Thai television industries to adapt for their future progress. Then, Channel 5 (TV 5) was founded by Royal Thai Army Radio and Television Station with the purpose of with the purpose of flexibility in business operations and ability to compete with other TV channels. This current study about the adaptation of TV5 and Thai economic crisis in 1997 was being conducted to investigate the role of Royal Thai Army Radio and Television Station when TV5 was founded during the crisis and the study used the historical data analysis of TV5’s memorial books and social context happening during that period to elicit the significant data needed. The findings are that when TV5 was founded, it seemed to be the change of corporate operations during the economic crisis and it presented the new role of Thai army to manage a business and adjust its corporate for modernness. There were many projects arising during this time such as Thai TV Global Network (TGN) project including sending broadcast signals abroad and almost all over the world and creating a main website of TV 5 station for online audience to be able to watch TV programs on its website.
