Modern telecommunications in Thailand began in 1875 with the deployment of the first telegraph service. Historically, the development of telecommunication networks in Thailand were in the hands of the public sector. Government organisations were established to provide telegraph, telephone, radio, and television services, and other government agencies, especially the military, still control a large estate of radio and television spectra. Private telecommunication operators initially acquired concession agreements with state enterprises. For mobile phone services, all the concessions have been amended by successive government to last 25 years have gradually ended in 2015. For other services, the concession terms and conditions vary, ranging from one to fifteen years. Nearly all of the concessions are build-operate-transfer (BTO) contracts. The private investor has to build all the required facilities and transfer them to the state before they can operate or offer services to public.
Liberalisation took place in the 1990s and 2000s. State enterprises, the Telephone Organization of Thailand, Communications Authority of Thailand, and Mass Communication Organization of Thailand, were corporatised in 2003 and 2004. The Constitution of 1997 prompted the institutional changes when it declared that all the spectrum is a "national communication resource for public welfare". The 1997 Constitution further requires the establishment of "an independent regulator" who shall be authorized to allocate spectra and monitor and regulate communications in Thailand. In 1998, to comply with the constitutional mandate, the parliament passed a law establishing two independent regulators, the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). The regulatory practice began in Thailand when the NTC was appointed by the king through the complex nomination procedure in 2005. The inception of NTC automatically terminates and transfers all power and authority in telecommunication sector from the Post and Telegraph Department (PTD) to the newly established independent commission.
In September 2006, the military wrested control from a civilian government and merged the telecommunications and broadcasting regulators into a convergence regulator. The task had not been completed when a civilian government came into power and introduced the new bill. The new law dubbed the Act on Spectrum Allocation Authority, Regulatory & Control over Radio & TV Broadcast and Telecommunications of 2010 (akaNRA Act of 2010), eliminated the NTC and created a new "convergence regulator" to manage both telecommunications and broadcast in Thailand. The new law also requires that the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission which was established in 2010 as an independent regulator, must allocate all commercial spectrum licenses via auction. In 2012, in order to license the 3G spectrum and services, the Telecom Commission (TC) hosted a spectrum auction which resulted in three new licenses for 2.1 GHz to three incumbents (AIS, True, and DTAC). In 2013, the Broadcast Commission (BC) auctioned 42 new DTTV licenses. Both auctions together earned record sums for money paid to the public sector via auction. Later the record was beaten by another auction by sister agency, the Broadcast Commission who launched the DTTV auction in December 2013. The NBTC Act in force then allowed NBTC to keep the proceeds of the DTTV auction. But when the military took over the country, it amended the NBTC Act to require return of auction proceeds to the treasury.
On 22 May 2014 when the coup d'état took place, the military decided that it would scrutinize the regulatory practices of both sectors. The government, led by General Prayut Chan-o-cha, announced that his government would move Thailand into the "digital economy" and would transform the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications into a Digital Economy Ministry. NBTC reform would be a part of the plan. In June 2014, the junta issued two new orders demanding that a) all the proceeds from spectrum auctions must be returned to the public purse and, b) all community radio stations must comply with a new junta order which would require examination and investigation of compliance before offering programming to the public. Temporary licenses were issued in September 2014 to compliant radio stations that signed voluntary memoranda of understanding (MOU) as "a condition precedent" to be able to broadcast while awaiting more thorough vetting from BC before issuance of the de juré license. The time required to an investigation was ambiguous. New community radio licenses must be in compliance with a junta order that supersedes the Radio and Television Act of 2008.
The mobile network market is dominated by three large operators who have a market penetration rate of 100 percent. All main mobile operators now utilise GSM/3GPP family technologies including GSM, EDGE, UMTS, and LTE. Thailand has six analogue terrestrial television channels, and 24 commercial digital terrestrial channels began broadcasting in 2014.
Under the Trade Competition Act 2017, which became effective in October 2017, the trade competition authority relinquished its authority to regulate specific sectors including broadcasting and telecommunications businesses. In other words, since the Trade Competition Act 2017 became effective, the broadcasting and telecom sectors that used to be regulated by specific legislation on trade competition have been exempted from complying with general competition laws and are only subject to sectoral regulations on competition. [1] However, although the Trade Competition Act (“TCA”) BE 2560 (2017), states that the TCA does not apply to sectors that have specific legislation (i.e.: Banking, Broadcasting and Telecom), the Telecommunications Business Act (“TBA”) B.E. 2544 (2001) – Section 21 states: “In the telecommunications business operation, other than being subject to the law on trade competition…”. [2] Therefore, a merger in the telecom sector for example, would be under both acts and authorities, because the specific legislation (The Telecommunications Business Act) points back to the law on trade competition.
There are three fixed-line telephone operators in Thailand: state-owned TOT Public Company Limited (now known as National Telecom (NT)), True Corporation, and TT&T (Currently name "3BB"). As of 2014, there were 5,687,038 fixed-line subscriptions. That number has been in decline since 2008. [3]
The first fixed-line telephone system was installed in Thailand (Siam) under the Ministry of Defence in 1881, and later its operation was transferred to the Post and Telegraph Department. The Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT) was established in 1954 to manage the telephone system. [4]
The penetration of telephone remained relatively limited for most of the 20th century. In 1992, the ratio of telephone lines per population was 3.3 lines per 100 population. In 1991, two private corporations were given concessions to build and operate telephone lines: Telecom-Asia (later renamed True Corporation) for the Bangkok Metropolitan Region and Thai Telephone & Telecommunications (TT&T) for the provinces. [5]
As of 2014, there were 97.6 million mobile subscribers in Thailand, a penetration rate of 146 percent of the total population. The Thai market is predominantly prepaid with 84.8 million prepaid subscribers. More than 99 percent of the market share belongs to three large operators (including their subsidiaries): Advanced Info Service (AIS), 46.52 percent market share, DTAC, 28.50 percent market share, and Truemove, 24.26 percent. Other operators include the state enterprises TOT Public Company Limited (TOT) with 0.57 percent market share, and CAT Telecom with 0.15 percent market share and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). [6]
In 1980s and 1990s, private mobile operators were given concessions from TOT and CAT. TOT and CAT were corporatised in 2002–2003, and the Thai telecommunications landscape transitioned towards spectrum allocation by independent regulator. The 2007 constitution and the Act on Organization to Assign Radio Frequency and to Regulate the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Services include the provisions that a national independent regulator is established and frequencies for commercial activities must be allocated via auction. [7] The first successful spectrum auction by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission was organised in 2012, allocating 45 MHz of IMT (2100) frequency band to three mobile phone operators.
Legislation that governs the Mobile networks includes the Act on the Organisation to Assign Radio Frequency and to Regulate Broadcasting and Telecommunications Services 2010 (the NBTC Act) and the Telecommunications Business Act 2001 (the Telecommunications Business Act). Additionally, any operator wishing to issue telephone numbers shall obtain a separate licence from the NBTC, subject to a Telecommunications Numbering Plan issued by the NBTC. [8]
In 2015 the NBTC arranged two rounds of auctions for 1800 MHz and 900Mhz. In November, Advance Info Service and True Corporation won the 1800 MHz license in the auction which takes nearly 33 hours to complete. In December, True Corporation and Jasmine International won the 900 MHz auction. The significance of this auction is the establishment of Jasmine International in the telecommunication business which didn't have a new player for many years. There are many rumours following this auction questioning Jasmine International on its ability to pay the license fee to NBTC. [9]
In 2017, the number of mobile subscribers has reached 121.53 million, [10] [11] and in 2018 has already reached 125.6 million. [12] To purchase a SIM card in Thailand, it is necessary to present an ID to register.
At the end of 2021, the total number of mobile subscriptions in Thailand was 99.4 million, representing a mobile penetration rate of 150 percent of the total population. More than 96.5 percent of the total market share belongs to three large operators (including their subsidiaries): Advanced Info Service (AIS), 44.38 percent market share, Truemove, 32.44 percent and DTAC, 19.68 percent market share. Other operators include the state enterprises National Telecom (NT) with 3.45 percent market share, and mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) with 0.05 percent market share, resulting in a (HHI) of 3,421 [13]
On November 22, 2021, Telenor and Charoen Pokphand Group, officially announced they have agreed to explore a USD 8.6 billion merger plan between Thailand’s second and third largest telecom operators (by subscribers), True Corporation (TRUE) and Total Access Communication (DTAC) – The proposed merger is subject to regulatory approvals. [14] The merger was "acknowledged" by the regulator NBTC at a meeting on October 20, 2022. [15] The newly merged company still retain the True Corporation name, which was founded on March 1, 2023 and it was listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand under the stock ticker symbol TRUE on March 3, 2023. [16]
| Rank | Operator | Technology | Subscribers | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AIS | GSM-900 (GPRS, EDGE), 900/2100 MHz UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+ 900/1800/2100 MHz LTE-A, LTE-U/LAA, Pseudo MVNO on TOT B1 2100 MHz [17] | 38.5 million [18] (Q3 2015) 41,436,800 [19] (EOY 2020) 44,116,700 [20] (EOY 2021) | INTOUCH Company (40.45%) Singtel (23.32%) |
| 2 | DTAC (merged with True to form a new True Corporation) | GSM-1800 MHz(GPRS, EDGE) 850/2100 MHz UMTS HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+ 1800/2100 MHz LTE, Pseudo MVNO on TOT B40 2300 MHz [21] | 25.3 million [18] (Q3 2015) 18,856,000 [19] (EOY 2020) 19,561,000 [20] (EOY 2021) | Charoen Pokphand Group (3.41%) Telenor (19.64%) China Mobile (7.81%) National Telecom (2.39%) Thai NVDR (9.81%) |
| 3 | TrueMove H (merged with DTAC to form a new True Corporation) | PHS GSM-900/1800 MHz (GPRS, EDGE) 850/2100 MHz UMTS HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+ 900/1800/2100 MHz LTE-A, Pseudo MVNO on CAT Telecom B5 850 MHz [22] | 24 million [23] (Q3 2015) 30,628,000 [19] (EOY 2020) 32,250,000 [20] (EOY 2021) | Charoen Pokphand Group (3.41%) Telenor (19.64%) China Mobile (7.81%) National Telecom (2.39%) Thai NVDR (9.81%) |
| 4 | National Telecom (NT) | 850 MHz B5 UMTS HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+ 2100 MHz B1 UMTS HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+ 2300 MHz B40 TDD LTE | 3,425,730 [20] (EOY 2021) | Ministry of Digital Economy and Society |
| 5 | MY Merged into National Telecom (NT) on 7 January 2021 | 850 MHz B5 UMTS HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+ | 2,833,502 [19] (EOY 2020) | CAT Telecom |
| 6 | TOT Merged into National Telecom (NT) on 7 January 2021 | 2100 MHz B1 UMTS HSPA, HSPA+, DC-HSPA+ 2300 MHz B40 TDD LTE | 106,875 [24] (Q3 2016) 532,905 [19] (EOY 2020) | Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT) |
| Mobile Virtual Network Operators | ||||
| 1 | IEC3G Buzzme (Host operator TOT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B1 2100 MHz | Closed 2018 | Mobile 8 Telco Sdn Bhd. |
| 2 | MyWorld 3G (Host operator CAT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B5 850 MHz | Closed | Data CDMA Communication Co., Ltd. |
| 3 | OPEN SIM i-mobile (Host operator CAT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B5 850 MHz | Closed 2017 [25] | Samart Corporation Public Company Limited. |
| 4 | imobile-3GX (Host operator CAT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B5 850 MHz | Closed 2017 [25] | Samart Corporation Public Company Limited. |
| 5 | 168 (Host operator CAT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B5 850 MHz | Closed 2018 | 168 Communication Co Ltd. |
| 6 | Mojo 3G (Host operator TOT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B1 2100 MHz | Closed 2017 [26] | MConzult Asia Co., Ltd. |
| 7 | Tune Talk (Host operator TOT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B1 2100 MHz | Closed | Loxley Public Company Limited (50%) Tune Group Sdn Bhd (10%) Thai AirAsia Co., Ltd. (40%) |
| 8 | i-Kool 3G (Host operator TOT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B1 2100 MHz | 2,251 [19] (EOY 2020) 2,219 [20] (EOY 2021) | Loxley Public Company Limited. |
| 9 | Penguin SIM (Host operator CAT & TOT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B1 2100 MHz / B5 850 MHz | Closed 2022 [27] 300,000 [28] (Q3 2018) 29,690 [19] (EOY 2020) 25,578 [20] (EOY 2021) | The WhiteSpace Co.Ltd. |
| 10 | Feels (Host operator TOT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B1 2100 MHz 4G : LTE-FDD : B1 2100 MHz 4.5G : TDD LTE : B40 2300 MHz | 4,574 [19] (EOY 2020) 26,832 [20] (EOY 2021) | Feels Telecom Corporation Co., Ltd. |
| 11 | AJ SIM (Host operator TOT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B1 2100 MHz 4G : LTE-FDD : B1 2100 MHz 4.5G : TDD LTE : B40 2300 MHz | Launched November 2020 [29] | AJ Advance Technology Pcl. |
| 12 | Redone (Host operator TOT) | 3G : UMTS/WCDMA : B1 2100 MHz 4G : LTE-FDD : B1 2100 MHz 4.5G : TDD LTE : B40 2300 MHz | Launched May 2021 [30] 1,888 [20] (EOY 2021) | Red One Network (Thailand) Co., Ltd |
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), has awarded a Type 1 Mobile Virtual Network Aggregator (MVNA) license to the MVNA and Mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE) company MVNO.SERVICE Co., Ltd. [31]
Fixed-line telephone numbers have nine digits, while mobile numbers have ten digits, both including the trunk prefix "0".
There are 13.96 million radios in use (1997). But there were some cases like in this year (2015), expecting there will be more than 25 million radios are in use as of now.
There are six free-to-air analogue terrestrial television stations in Thailand:
The transition to digital terrestrial television began in 2014. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission arranged an auction for commercial television licenses in December 2013. The spectrum are allocated to four groups of commercial television services: seven high-definition general licenses, seven standard-definition general licenses, seven news station licenses, and four children-and-family licenses. [32] In addition, spectrum are allocated for 12 national public services channels and 12 regional community channels. The commercial licensees began experimental broadcasts on 1 April 2014. [33]
There are five submarine cables used for communications landing in Thailand. Thailand has cable landing points in Satun, Petchaburi and Chonburi.
The Asia-America Gateway (AAG) is under construction and is in service since November 2009.
The Asia Pacific Gateway (APG), a new submarine cable, is under planning stage and is expected to be operational in Q3 2014.
Thaicom is the name of a series of communications satellites operated out of Thailand and the name Thaicom Public Company Limited , which is the company that owns and operates the Thaicom satellite fleet and other telecommunication businesses in Thailand and throughout the Asia-Pacific.
The official name of satellite project known as THAICOM named by His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej, as a symbol of the linkage between Thailand and modern communications technology.
Thailand-based Shinawatra Computer and Communications Co. Ltd. (now InTouch Group) signed a US$100 million contract with Hughes Space and Communications Company Ltd. in 1991 to launch Thailand's first satellite communications project. The first Thaicom satellite was launched on December 17, 1993. This satellite carried 12 C-band transponders covering a region from Japan to Singapore. Thaksin Shinawatra sold Shin Corporation, which owns 41% of Thaicom Public Company Limited.
National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) [34]
The NRA Organization Act of 2010 established the new National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in December 2010 as a single converged regulator for the telecoms and broadcasting sectors in Thailand. [34]
The Telecommunications Business Act of 2001 [35] laid down the rules for Thailand's telecommunications industry by requiring telecoms operators to obtain a license from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). The Act classifies telecommunication licenses into three categories.
The 2001 Act was amended in 2006 under the supervision of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to allow foreigners to own a larger holding in a Thai telecommunications business.
In 2001, foreigners were not permitted to apply for type-two or type-three licenses under Thailand's Foreign Business Act (FBA). [36]
The applicant applying for type two and type three licenses must be organizations where Thai nationals hold at least 75% shares and at least three quarters of the applicant's firm directors and the person authorized to sign any binding commitments as a representation of the applicant firm must be Thai nationals.
The 2006 amendments repealed all the additional requirements of an applicant of type-two and type-three licenses, stating foreigners can now hold up to 49% in a telecommunications operator of type-two or type-three; no restrictions on the number of their foreign directors’ representation; and the authorized person signing binding commitments as a representation of the applicant firm can be a foreigner.
The telecoms license fee is composed of three types of fees - permission for license, renewal and an annual fee.
As of June 2013 the NBTC has granted 186 telecoms licensees, listed as follows:
As of December 2018 the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) had issued 58 MVNO licenses, [37] however only 9 had launched.
The telecom sector in Bangladesh is rapidly emerging. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is the regulatory authority for this sector, overseeing licensing, policy, etc.
Telenor ASA is a Norwegian majority state-owned multinational telecommunications company headquartered at Fornebu in Bærum, close to Oslo. It is one of the world's largest mobile telecommunications companies with operations worldwide, but focused in Scandinavia and Asia. It has extensive broadband and TV distribution operations in four Nordic countries, and a 10-year-old research and business line for machine-to-machine technology. Telenor owns networks in 8 countries.
A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is a wireless communications services provider that does not own the wireless network infrastructure over which it provides services to its customers. An MVNO enters into a business agreement with a mobile network operator to obtain bulk access to network services at wholesale rates, then sets retail prices independently. An MVNO may use its own customer service, billing support systems, marketing, and sales personnel, or it could employ the services of a mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE).
Intouch Holdings PCL is a Thai holding company which focuses on the telecommunication industry. It is the parent company of Advanced Info Service (AIS), the largest mobile phone operator in Thailand, and Thaicom, Thailand's satellite operator. It is listed in the Stock Exchange of Thailand and is part of SET50 index.
The Charoen Pokphand Group Company, Ltd. (CP) is a Thai conglomerate based in Bangkok. It is Thailand's largest private company and the largest privately held Royal Warrant holder of the Thai Royal Family. The company describes itself as having eight business lines covering 13 business groups. As of 2020, the group has investments in 21 countries.
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is an independent regulatory body of the South African government, established in 2000 by the ICASA Act to regulate both the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors in the public interest.
The Communications, Space and Technology Commission is the Saudi communications authority. It was first established under the name of Saudi Communications Commission in accordance with the decision of the Council of Ministers. The name was changed after the commission was assigned new tasks related to information technology. Since October 2006, CITC has been handling the DNS structure and filtering in Saudi Arabia in the place of KACST.
TOT Public Company Limited is a Thai state-owned telecommunications company. Originally established in 1954 and corporatized in 2002, TOT used to be known as the Telephone Organization of Thailand and TOT Corporation Public Company Limited. TOT's main line of business is fixed line telephony, although it has several other businesses, including mobile telephony. Since 2021, TOT PCL become National Telecom Public Company Limited after merger with CAT Telecom.
CAT Telecom Public Company Limited So, then as known as CAT Telecom Plc.
Due to economy of scale property of telecommunication industry, sharing of telecom infrastructure among telecom service providers is becoming the requirement and process of business in the telecom industry where competitors are becoming partners in order to lower their increasing investments. The degree and method of infrastructure sharing can vary in each country depending on regulatory and competitive climate.
Thailand's telephone numbering plan in Thailand is managed by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in accordance with International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) recommendation E.164.
True Corporation Public Company Limited is a communications conglomerate in Thailand. It is a joint venture between Charoen Pokphand Group and Telenor, formed by the merger between the original True Corporation and DTAC in the form of equal partnership to create a new telecommunications company that can fully meet the needs of the digital age. True controls Thailand's largest cable TV provider, TrueVisions, Thailand's largest internet service provider True Online, Thailand's largest mobile operators, TrueMove H and DTAC TriNet, which is second and third only to AIS. and entertainment media including television, internet, online games, and mobile phones under the True Digital brand. As of August 2014, True, along with True Telecommunications Growth Infrastructure Fund, had a combined market capitalization of US$10 billion. TrueMove is also a partner of Vodafone Group. Charoen Pokphand Group and Telenor hold equal ownership of 30% of True's shares as of March 2023. It operates fixed-line, wireless, cable TV, IPTV and broadband services.
Total Access Communication Public Company Limited is a GSM mobile phone company in Thailand. It is the nation's third largest GSM phone company, after AIS and True. DTAC is owned by Norwegian company Telenor both directly and indirectly, and both companies share the same logo. As of 31 December 2011, DTAC had 23.2 million subscribers with a market share of subscribers at around 30 percent. As of 2019, the company has 20.642 million mobile subscriptions and 3904 employees. It is listed on the Singapore Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
Thailand's connection to the Internet began in 1987 via the Australian Research and Education Network using UUCP and SUNIII which transformed to full TCP/IP in 1992 to UUNET. This marked Thailand as an early participant in bringing the Internet to Asia.
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) is the independent regulatory agency for the ICT industry in Kenya with responsibilities in telecommunications, e-commerce, broadcasting,cyber security, and postal/courier services. The CA is also responsible for managing the country's numbering and frequency spectrum resources, administering the Universal Service Fund (USF) as well as safeguarding the interests of users of ICT services.
Takorn Tantasith is the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation,The House of Representatives and also Member of the Parliament of Thailand. Previously, he served as the first Secretary-General of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), Thailand. Being Secretary-General, he holds the highest executive position at the Office of the NBTC, having roles and responsibilities as stipulated by the Act on Organization to Assign Radio Frequency and to Regulate the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Services B.E. 2553 (2010). Takorn was appointed Secretary-General of the NBTC on 5 January 2012, for a five-year term, and in late 2016 was reappointed for a second term starting 5 January 2017. Prior to this, he was Acting Secretary-General of the NBTC, and Secretary-General of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)from 2009-2012.
TrueMove H is a mobile telecommunication operator provided by Real Move Co., Ltd. and True Move H Universal Communication Co., Ltd., subsidiaries of True Corporation. It is the second largest operator in Thailand.
Line Mobile - Finn Mobile is a division by Line Corporation operates mobile virtual network operator service in Japan and Taiwan, while in Thailand it operates as a light MVNO service provider under TrueMove H. Unlike LINE's other service LINE Out, Finn Mobile offers SIM card plans.
A corporate merger between True Corporation and DTAC, Thailand's second- and third–largest mobile network operators, has been in progress since its first public announcement on 22 November 2021. The deal, which would make the combined entity the largest mobile network ahead of current market leader AIS and reduce the mobile provider market to a duopoly, has been strongly opposed by academics and civil society groups as detrimental to consumers and the public interest. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) acknowledged the merger with certain conditions on 20 October 2022, though there had been some legal uncertainty over whether the NBTC had authority to approve such a merger and whether the Trade Competition Commission should be involved. Petitions challenging the decision were made to the Administrative Court in November, by the Thailand Consumers Council and AIS.
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.
