The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBCT) has sought cooperation from news journalists to cut short their news reporting and video streaming on Facebook Live from the Tham Luang Khun Nam Nang Non cave in Mae Sai so as to allow rescue teams to coordinate and communicate more efficiently in the search for the missing 13-member youth football team.
The request for cooperation came from NBTC deputy secretary-general Korkij Danchaivijit as now the telecommunication traffic at the area is unusually high as rescue personnel in the area are increasing to several thousands, excluding an army of journalists from both local and foreign news media, leading to high traffic in the mobile networks.
Mr Korkij said the NBCT would like journalists reporting live from the scene to cut short their live reporting and video streaming on Facebook Live to allow rescuers to communicate with each other more conveniently without disruption in searching for the missing football team which are their main operation.
He advised that journalists could still report with short video clips from the scene, and use still photos instead of life video streaming.
He said that if all journalists resorting to phone-in with life video streaming on Facebook simultaneously for a long time, then it could disrupt the communications of the rescue teams as radio frequencies are limited.
He said although now all mobile telephone operators have deployed mobile switching centres at the scene , it was found that in some place mobile communication was difficult or unstable.
He also said if all five mobile operators choose to increase more switching centres to the area, it still was a problem as the space for parking of their mobile facilities are limited, and would cause traffic problem as well.