BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand observes National Broadcasting Day on February 25 each year, commemorating the country’s first official radio broadcast in 1930. National radio broadcasting began in 1928 under the leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Purachatra Jayakara, who established the first station in a post office building within an area near the Ong Ang Canal. A 1-kilowatt medium-wave transmitter was later assembled and tested in the Sala Daeng area.
The first official broadcast took place on Feb. 25, 1930, under the name “Radio Bangkok at Phyathai,” operating from Phaya Thai Palace with a 2.5-kilowatt transmitter. A royal address by King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) was relayed from the Amarindra Winitchai Throne Hall and transmitted to the public, becoming Thailand’s first radio voice broadcast.
On Jan. 1, 1941, the Publicity Department renamed the station “Radio Thailand,” establishing it as the national broadcasting service. The facility was later relocated to Soi Ari in Bangkok, where upgraded transmission equipment expanded its reach and capabilities.
Over the decades, radio has remained an important educational and public communication tool. It supports language learning through standard usage, strengthens understanding through sound techniques and repetition, and provides broad access to expert knowledge. Radio also contributes to moral and civic awareness and continues to serve as a platform for lifelong learning accessible throughout the country. (NNT)
