Expansion
Major change to the company organization happened in April 2012, when Wichai Thongtang, a businessman and former Thaksin Shinawatra lawyer, acquired 25% of CTH while Thai Rath newspaper family, headed by Vachara Vacharapol, acquired another 25% of the company. CTH also looked for another partner for 20% stake while the remaining 30% was still held by cable operators. The company capital was also raised to 1 billion baht. Wichai Thongtang became the company chairman.[5]
In August 2012, TrueVisions announced partnership with CTH to allow CTH access to nine channels produced by TrueVisions.[6]
In November 2012, CTH won the broadcast right to English Premier League from 2013–14 to 2015–16 seasons with the highest price in Asia and the second highest in the world valued $320 million.[7][8]
The service started broadcast via cable-TV providers and on satellite via Vinasat-2 in mid-August 2013, just weeks before English Premier League started its new season.
In September 2013, CTH filed a lawsuit against Apple Inc. and its local company, Apple South Asia (Thailand), accusing of violating intellectual property rights for commercial purposes and counterfeiting or altering a registered trademark for ฿100 million after they allow an app call "Sports Channel" that allow the user to watch EPL live broadcasts to be sold on Apple's App Store.[9]
In January 2014, CTH collaborated with PSI Holdings to offer English Premier League packages in lower price aiming to expand the subscribers. CTH also acquired the broadcast rights to WWE programmes in a five-year deal to broadcast on CTH Sport Spirit channel and later on dedicated CTH WWE channel.[10]
In February 2014, the company stated that it would focus more on satellite-TV operators to expand its subscriber base and by June the company reduced its cable partners to about 100 operators from 170.[11]
In June 2014, CTH Public Company Limited chose Inview Technology and Irdeto to introduce OTT and hybrid versions of its cable services.[12][13][14]
In July 2014, CTH announced a business partnership with GMM Grammy to acquire its pay-TV subsidiary, GMM B who is operating pay-TV business branded Z Pay-TV, including its channels and content such as UEFA Euro 2016 in exchange of 10% stake of CTH.[15]
