Researchmoz | Thailand - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts

Thailand - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts

Thailand’s military coup creates further challenges for the telecom sector. The one single feature that characterises the Thai telecom industry has arguably been the stop-start approach to sector reform and re-regulation. An important step was taken with the Telecommunications Act being adopted as law back in 2000, but over the last decade or so successive governments have moved slowly on its implementation. Then, following a period of serious political instability, in May 2014 there was a military coup that threw the administration of the country into a new phase. The junta that took power signalled a clear intention to take control of the country for a significant ‘transition’ period. During this time they intended to continue the full administration of the country and inevitably this meant certain things would change. This of course was to impact in a major way on the telecom sector. By 2014 a range of deregulation issues were still crying out to be addressed. But the military coup made for an uncertain future. One of the big structural reform issues – the defining of the roles and the restructuring of TOT and CAT – was demanding urgent attention. In fairness to the industry regulator at the time, the industry over the years has not seen a sustained period of consistent policy direction from government. The market had been waiting a long time for the creation of the promised new regulator as well as for the allocation of 3G spectrum. Thailand finally got its new regulator, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), in 2011. With the appointment of the board members, the new commission was able to start operating in its defined role. Things have now started to happen. The commission’s first half year of operation certainly saw a lot of positive action. And most importantly the 3G licence auction took place as scheduled in October 2012. Even more...