[Satnews] Thaicom Public Company Limited has announced that Forever Group, Myanmar’s leading media company and DTH operator, has signed a long-term contract for an additional five transponders, increasing their commitment from the existing three transponders, on the Thaicom satellite platform.

The contract is a major milestone in significantly increasing the utilization rate on Thaicom satellites. The additional satellite capacity will support Forever Group’s development of digital content delivery services and HDTV in Myanmar. The country has been one of Thaicom’s key markets for more than 15 years. The deal underlines Thaicom’s long-term commitment to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and market strategy.  The company’s servicing capacity and footprint in Asia will be enhanced by upcoming satellite launches.

Forever Group’s CEO, U Win Maw, said, “The capacity expansion is set to boost Forever Group’s ability to advance our digital content delivery platform.  THAICOM’s satellite platform serves as an important pillar in the expansion of our digital content delivery network which distributes entertainment, culture, and news to viewers in Myanmar.”

Paiboon Panuwattanawong, CEO of Thaicom, added, “The capacity expansion agreement is in line with our business plan of providing the satellite capacity needed to fuel the fast growth the Asian broadcast and media industries have been experiencing. The deal with Forever Group also supports the Thai Government’s initiative to increase trade within the ASEAN region. I would like to thank Forever Group for their continued trust in Thaicom and the opportunity to providing the service quality and flexibility needed to meet their business objectives.”