Thailand Bangkok Islamic radio station Voice of Islam AM 837kHz & FM 104.25MHz can expand coverage to Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat where are having many Muslims, but the radio station needs to get more requirements of coverage expansion.

In Bangkok, Thailand, there is Thai Muslim radio station, known as Voice of Islam (Thai: สถานีวิทยุเสียงอิสลาม). It is an Islamic radio station which broadcasts in Thai language, the frequency is on FM 104.25MHz, Voice of Islam is also relayed on AM 837kHz, FM 87.75MHz and FM 107.5MHz.

All of its FM frequencies are low power radio transmission (less than 300W), meanwhile AM 837kHz operates at 10kW which is standard output power. Voice of Islam launched on AM 837kHz last year in Bangkok area, its AM frequency was formerly operated by Radio Thailand which closed down in 1st April 2021.

As it is Bangkok's only Muslim radio station, I saw it has potential market and listeners in Southern Thailand provinces such as Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani where they are Muslims majority provinces.

Bangkok based Voice of Islam (สถานีวิทยุเสียงอิสลาม) AM 837kHz can actually expand its broadcast coverage to Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, but they need few things for the coverage expansion, such as:

 

1. Obtaining NBTC frequency license for Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat broadcast.

2. C-band satellite link equipment to relay radio programs from Bangkok to Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.

3. Finding the broadcast transmission infrastructure in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces.

 

Back to Bangkok, Voice of Islam FM 104.25MHz and AM 837kHz transmission towers are belonged to the radio station without renting public broadcaster's infrastructure. Meanwhile FM 87.75MHz and FM 107.5MHz are belonged to Santichon Muslim Foundation & KPN Radio respectively.

 

According to Voice of Islam Facebook page, AM 837kHz covers Central Bangkok, meanwhile FM 107.5MHz and FM 104.25MHz covers East Bangkok, then FM 87.75MHz covers South Bangkok. 

 

(PATTANI)

In Pattani, Voice of Islam can use former Radio Thailand Pattani AM frequency 1296kHz to broadcast there with 50kW power. Radio Thailand Pattani AM 1296kHz was closed down since 1st April 2021, actually this frequency can be succeeded by Voice of Islam in Pattani. With 50kW power AM transmitter in Pattani, this radio station can be tuned in part of Narathiwat and Songkhla actually, meanwhile it could overspill to Malaysia and other Thailand provinces such as Trang, Phatthalung and Satun during nighttime transmission.

 

(YALA)

In Yala, Voice of Islam can expand coverage there with either setting up own tower within Tambon Sateng like other radio stations at low power transmission or renting Royal Thai Army's Khao Bu Yo transmission tower.

 

Coverage expansion by Voice of Islam to Yala province on FM radio is more difficult because Yala is under Malaysia-Thailand international border frequency coordination region. Thailand's NBTC and Malaysia's MCMC usually have annual meeting to discuss frequency coordination in bordering region, when they talk about Yala radio broadcast, it involves Khao Pok Yo transmitted radio station because the TV/radio transmission Khao Pok Yo in Bannang Sata district can overspill to Malaysia territory, mainly Kelantan, Kedah, Hulu Perak and Perlis.

 

So, it is impossible to launch Voice of Islam in Yala by installing transmitter in Khao Pok Yo. 

 

Khao Pok Yo is currently operated by Thailand public radio stations such as Radio Thailand, MCOT and Parliament Radio.

 

Khao Bu Yo radio transmission does not affect Malaysia radio stations coverage.  If Voice of Islam wants to launch in Yala by using Khao Bu Yo tower, I would propose FM 89.75MHz or FM 102.0MHz at 0.5kW power.

 

Although Khao Bu Yo tower transmission does not overspill to Malaysia territory, but in Thailand, it can cause interference to Thepha, Pattani and Songkhla radio stations coverage if there is poor frequency planning.  

 

I did study on other frequencies for Khao Bu Yo transmission.

 

==FM 103.0MHz Khao Bu Yo==

102.9MHz: Kelantan FM Wakaf Che Yeh

103.0MHz: Voice of Islam Yala (Khao Bu Yo)

<100kHz, OK>

 

103.0MHz: Voice of Islam Yala (Khao Bu Yo)

103.0MHz: Khuluen Muanchon Khon Thepha Radio

<0kHz, NOT OK, co-channel interference> 

 

==FM 107.0MHz Khao Bu Yo==

107.0MHz: Voice of Islam Yala (Khao Bu Yo)

107.0MHz: RTAF Songkhla (Khao Kho Hong)

<0kHz, NOT OK, co-channel interference in Southeast Songkhla> 

 

It is suitable to use FM 103.0MHz in Tambon Sateng, Yala like other radio stations as it does not overspill to other province.

 

103.0MHz: Voice of Islam Yala (Tambon Sateng)

103.0MHz: Khuluen Muanchon Khon Thepha Radio

<0kHz, OK>  

 Sample radio coverage from Tambon Sateng, Yala

 

(NARATHIWAT)

Voice of Islam can launch low power radio transmission in that province on FM radio in Mueang Narathiwat Province on FM 107.0MHz at 0.3kW or below.

 

FM 107.0MHz was formerly used by SV Sound Radio in Sungai Golok, and it was closed recently.

 

As Narathiwat is under Thailand-Malaysia international border frequency coordination region, to avoid from involving that coordination, Voice of Islam Narathiwat broadcast on FM 107.0MHz transmission power must not be more than 0.3kW to prevent interference to Malaysia radio station.

107.0MHz: Voice of Islam Narathiwat (0.3kW or below)

107.1MHz: Kelantan FM Bukit Bintang

<100kHz, OK>

106.7MHz: Minnal FM Wakaf Che Yeh

107.0MHz: Voice of Islam Narathiwat

<300kHz, OK>

Sample coverage map of FM 107.0MHz Narathiwat:

==Proposal of Voice of Islam coverage expansion to Southern Thailand provinces==

* Pattani: AM 1296kHz

* Yala: FM 103.0MHz Tambon Sateng (0.3kW) or FM 102.0MHz Khao Bu Yo (0.5kW)

* Narathiwat: FM 107.0MHz (0.3kW)