Music Copyright Company (Thailand)

What Music Copyright Company (Thailand) does

Music Copyright (Thailand) Ltd. (MCT) is a Bangkok-based non-profit collective management organization (CMO) founded in 1994 under Thailand's Copyright Act B.E. 2537 to administer public performance rights for musical works (compositions and lyrics) on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers. As Thailand's only songwriter organization holding membership in CISAC (the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers), MCT has built reciprocal licensing agreements with 40 foreign CMOs covering more than 90 countries. The organization serves a membership base of 2,289 across three tiers (1,171 Provisional, 1,109 General, 9 Associate Members) and manages a catalog of more than 24,000 Thai songs from core members plus over 30,000 songs contributed by strategic publisher members.

MCT's operational platform comprises five integrated product surfaces: a member management portal with online application and song-data submission; a public song-database search; published tariff schedules spanning live performance, online/digital, and mechanical reproduction use cases; an annual royalty-distribution engine based on actual music-usage data; and reciprocal international licensing. The organization licenses music directly to Thai businesses (restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues, event organizers) under multi-year tariff contracts and to digital platforms including YouTube, Joox, Spotify, Apple Music, and over 20 other services. A joint licensing entity, MPC Music, is operated with Phonorights to combine collection of musical-works and sound-recording royalties. For airplay monitoring, MCT integrates the BMAT automated music detection system sourced from Spain, enabling usage-based rather than sample-based royalty distribution.

MCT's revenue model is licensing-royalty-based and non-profit: fees collected from public-performance licensees and digital platforms are distributed to member rights holders after deducting operating expenses. International reciprocal agreements generate royalty inflows for foreign music played in Thailand and outflows for Thai music played abroad. Distribution to members occurs annually using BMAT-collected airplay data and platform-reported usage. Marketing and member acquisition rely primarily on direct relationships, the organization's official website (mct.in.th), educational guides (Music Copyright 101 and 102), published tariff transparency, and CISAC affiliation rather than paid channels. The organization is governed by a board elected from its member community and is subject to annual reporting to Thailand's Department of Intellectual Property.

Name

Music Copyright Company (Thailand)

Legal name

บริษัท ลิขสิทธิ์ดนตรี (ประเทศไทย) จำกัด (Music Copyright (Thailand) Ltd.)

Website

https://mct.in.th

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Music Copyright (Thailand) Ltd. (MCT) is Thailand's only CISAC-member non-profit CMO, administering public performance rights for 2,289 songwriters and publishers, managing 24,000+ Thai songs, and licensing to digital platforms and businesses with reciprocal coverage across 90+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Copyright Administration and Collective Rights Management

NAICS

Music Publishers (51223), Music Publishers (512230)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) & Public Performance Licensing (MPAIAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Rights Administration & Royalty Processing (Admin, Accounting, Statements) (MPAIAKAD), Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB), Royalty Accounting & Payment Services (Statements, Audits, Payee Management) (MPAIABAL)

Keywords

• Music copyright administration
• Collective rights management
• Public performance licensing
• Royalty collection services
• Music licensing Thailand

Headquarters

HQ city

Huai Khwang

HQ country

Thailand

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Performance Rights Licensing: MCT collects licensing fees from businesses (restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues, event organizers) that publicly perform music. Fees are determined by published tariff schedules and distributed to member songwriters after deducting operational costs. MCT is a non-profit entity — all revenue after expenses is distributed to rights holders.
2. Digital Platform Licensing: Licensing of music to digital platforms such as YouTube, Joox, Spotify, Apple Music, and over 20 other digital services. MCT collects mechanical and performance royalties from digital exploitation of its members' works.
3. International Reciprocal Licensing: Through reciprocal agreements with 40 foreign CMO organizations covering 90+ countries, MCT collects royalties for the public performance of foreign music in Thailand and ensures Thai music is protected abroad.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MCT administers music copyrights on behalf of its songwriter and composer members through collective licensing, royalty collection, and distribution. It grants public performance, digital, mechanical, and live/concert music usage licenses to businesses, and represents Thai works internationally via reciprocal agreements with 40 foreign CMOs across 90+ countries. The organization reinvests surplus into member services and rights enforcement under its non-profit structure.

Product overview

Music Copyright (Thailand) Ltd. (MCT) operates as a Collective Management Organization (CMO) for musical works in Thailand, managing public performance rights for songwriters, composers, and music publishers. Founded in 1994 following Thailand's Copyright Act, the organization offers a unified platform for copyright management comprising: membership management (with three tiers: Provisional, General, and Associate Members), song catalog database search, licensing services with tariff schedules, royalty distribution based on usage data, and international reciprocal agreements through CISAC membership covering 40 foreign societies across 90+ countries. The portfolio includes educational resources such as Music Copyright 101 and Online Music Copyright Guide, plus annual reports documenting operations. MCT collects digital royalties from platforms including YouTube, Joox, Spotify, and Apple Music, and utilizes BMAT technology for music detection on radio and TV stations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Performance License (General Business) License that authorizes general commercial venues (e.g., retail, offices, hospitality) to publicly perform protected Thai and international music in their premises, in compliance with the Thai Copyright Act B.E. 2537.
• Live Music License License that authorizes venues and event organizers to use protected music in live performance settings, including concerts and live entertainment.
• Online Business License (Digital Music License) License that authorizes digital platforms, streaming services, and online businesses to use protected music in their digital offerings, including online streaming and webcasting.
• Mechanical Reproduction License License that authorizes the reproduction of protected musical works, including in physical or digital recordings.
• International Royalty Collection (Reciprocal Representation) Service that collects royalties generated for Thai members' works in foreign territories through reciprocal agreements with 40 international CMOs covering 90+ countries, and distributes them to members.
• MCT Membership (Provisional, General, Associate) Membership program for Thai songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers, structured in three tiers (Provisional Member, General Member, Associate Member), granting collective representation rights and eligibility to receive collected royalties.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CISAC (The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCISAC is the global federation of collective management organizations for songwriters and composers. MCT is the only CISAC member in Thailand. This membership enables MCT to sign reciprocal agreements with foreign CMOs, ensuring Thai music is protected internationally and foreign music is licensed in Thailand. MCT must submit annual operational reports to CISAC and adhere to non-profit principles.
• 40 International CMO Organizations (Reciprocal Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCT has signed reciprocal licensing agreements with approximately 40 foreign CMO organizations covering over 90 countries. These agreements enable MCT to collect royalties for foreign music played in Thailand and ensure Thai music is protected and royalties are collected when played abroad.
• BMAT (Music Detection Technology Provider)coreTechnology or IntegrationMCT uses the BMAT music detection and monitoring system from Spain to track music usage on radio and television stations in Thailand. This automated system enables more accurate royalty distribution based on real-world airplay data rather than statistical sampling.
• MPC Music (Joint Licensing Entity with Phonorights)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPC Music is a joint licensing entity formed by MCT and Phonorights for the specific purpose of collection. MCT handles public performance rights for musical works (compositions/lyrics) while Phonorights handles sound recording rights. Both organizations receive their respective portions of collected royalties from MPC Music.
• PhonorightsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhonorights is the Thai CMO that administers public performance rights for sound recordings (international music). While MCT and Phonorights are separate organizations, they collaborate through MPC Music for joint collection and have distinct mandates (MCT: musical works; Phonorights: sound recordings).
• Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) ThailandcoreOthersMCT submits annual operational reports to the Department of Intellectual Property (กรมทรัพย์สินทางปัญญา) for regulatory oversight, as required under Thai copyright law. MCT also maintains its corporate governance in compliance with Thai Civil and Commercial Code requirements.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers): US-based PRO administering public performance rights on behalf of songwriters and composers. Closest functional analogue to MCT as a national CISAC-member PRO for musical works licensing, royalty collection, and distribution; differs only by US scale and catalog size.
• BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.): Major US PRO serving over 1 million songwriters, composers, and publishers. Directly comparable business model to MCT in collecting public performance royalties and distributing to members, with extensive reciprocal agreements through CISAC.
• PRS for Music: UK PRO (formerly PRS) managing rights for over 100,000 songwriter, composer, and publisher members. Operates the same CMO model as MCT, including reciprocal collection and digital licensing via PRS for Music's joint venture PPL PRS.
• GEMA (Germany): German PRO representing more than 70,000 members globally. Functions identically to MCT as a CISAC-member CMO for musical works, collecting public performance, mechanical, and synchronization royalties for German and international repertoire.
• SACEM (France): French PRO (Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs de Musique) and one of the world's largest CMOs. Direct peer of MCT with identical songwriter-representation mandate, public performance licensing, reciprocal agreements, and digital platform collection.
• JASRAC (Japan): Japanese PRO managing over 10 million musical works and one of Asia's largest CMOs. Closest Asia-Pacific direct peer to MCT given similar role as national CISAC-member PRO for public performance and mechanical royalty collection/distribution.
• KOMCA (Korea Music Copyright Association): Korean PRO representing songwriters, composers, and music publishers in Korea. Highly comparable CMO model to MCT, with international reciprocal agreements, digital platform licensing, and active CISAC membership for cross-border royalty collection.
• APRA AMCOS (Australia/New Zealand): Bilateral PRO formed from APRA and AMCOS serving Australia and New Zealand songwriters, composers, and publishers. Identical CMO model to MCT, with public performance licensing, reciprocal agreements, and digital platform collection through sister society networks.
• Phonorights (Thailand): Thai CMO administering public performance rights for sound recordings (the neighboring-rights counterpart to MCT, which handles musical works). Operates jointly with MCT through MPC Music for end-to-end royalty collection, making it both complement and closest domestic peer.

Regional players

• MACP (Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society, Malaysia): Malaysian CMO administering public performance and mechanical rights for songwriters and publishers. Comparable regional PRO model to MCT with CISAC connections and digital licensing, although serving Malaysia rather than Thailand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MCT_Ltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/MusicCopyrightThailand
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/music-copyright-thailand-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Music Copyright Company (Thailand)