History

1. Current Situation

1.1 In Thailand, nowadays, three major entities under the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) namely the Post and Telegraph Department (PTD),  the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) and the Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT) are still responsible for radiocommunications and telecommunications services. *

1.2 The PTD is responsible for radiocommunications activities, manages, assigns and monitors radio frequencies, regulates and coordinates domestic communications via satellite through integrated ground stations. PTD is also responsible for international and regional cooperation and coordination in the fields of postal and telecommunications activities on behalf of the Royal Government of Thailand. *

* notes:  Currently, all PTD telecommunication resposibilities have been transferred to NTC

1.3 Telecommunications services in Thailand are provided exclusively through  two state enterprises, i.e. TOT and CAT. The TOT’s primary responsibility is to provide domestic telephone service while the CAT’s responsibility is to focus on international services. The private sector can only operate within the industry if they work in conjunction with one of the state enterprises through collaborated partnership in form of Build-Transfer-Operate (BTO) Contract.

1. Future of PTD (Posts and Telegraphs Department, Thailand)

1.1 According to the Draft Act on the establishment of NTC, the PTD will be transformed to be a Secretariat Office of NTC.

1.2 Staff of PTD has the right to choose to work with the NTC or to continue to enjoy official privilege under MOTC.

1.3 In the future MOTC will be responsible only for transports and postal policy and regulations.

A Royal proclamation formally established the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on October 1 2004. It can now fully exercise its roles as Thailand's telecommunication regulator pursuant to the provisions of the Act on the Organization to Assign Radio Frequency and to Regulate the Broadcasting and Telecommunication Services B.E. 2543 (2000) and the Telecommunication Business Act B.E. 2544 (2001).