Thai PBS won two Special Commendations at the ABU Prizes 2026 for our work in digital media and podcasting. Five Thai PBS productions also reached the finals across three categories, reflecting the quality of our content and media innovation across the Asia-Pacific region.
The awards were announced on November 1st, 2026, during the 63rd ABU General Assembly and Associated Meetings in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), the ceremony was attended by Kanokporn Prasitphon, Director of the Digital Media Centre at Thai PBS, who accepted both awards.
Our two Special Commendations
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Digital Storytelling Special Commendation - “Hora Star Paradox: Reading (Horoscopes) and Reading Stars”
Produced by The Visual by Thai PBS, this data visualisation connects astrology with astronomy. It uses design and interactive infographics to help audiences understand the movement of the stars from a scientific perspective.
View the work at: www.thaipbs.or.th/TheVisualStar
Audio Documentary Special Commendation - Vibe Cast (ฟังเอา Vibe)
Produced by Thai PBS Podcast, this series takes listeners into the lives of people through cultural and lifestyle perspectives, drawing on real conversations and ambient sound in each story. Its 10 episodes cover local culture and wisdom, as well as contemporary social issues, including music therapy, the learning experiences of migrant workers and alternative cinema.
Listen to the series at: www.thaipbspodcast.com/podcast/Vibecast
Special Commendations are awarded by the judging panel to outstanding entries among the finalists in each category. This year, Thai PBS had five finalist entries across Screen, Audio and Digital Media, covering news, children's programmes, documentaries and digital media innovation.
Kanokporn said the awards are a source of pride and encouragement for the whole team.
We are committed to turning complex information into stories that are easy to understand, and data visualisation helps audiences see the key issues and engage with subjects that may seem difficult or distant. We continue to develop and publish this format under The Visual by Thai PBS. Hora Star Paradox applies it to astrology, where belief and astronomical principles are tightly intertwined. We organised the data into categories and presented it through real-time interactive infographics, helping viewers to see how the two fields relate and to look at the facts through a scientific lens.
We also place great importance on inspiring audiences through sound. With Vibe Cast, we combine conversations and real ambient sound to place listeners inside the story. Across its 10 episodes, the series shows the diversity of people, ways of life and cultures, as well as the value of community, local wisdom and humanity. This is the first time Thai PBS Podcast has won an international award. It reflects the quality of our work, gives us the chance to exchange experience with media organisations from other countries and to apply what we learn to keep pace with the industry and meet the needs of future audiences.
About the ABU Prizes
The ABU Prizes are organised by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union to honour outstanding work by its member organisations across radio, television and digital media production. Special Commendations recognise standout entries in each category.
These awards mark another step in Thai PBS’s continued work to develop public service media through quality content, creativity and innovative storytelling, for audiences in Thailand and around the world.
