What lies ahead after NBTC decision to allow controversial True-Dtac merger?

[webfact]

 

By Thai PBS World’s Business Desk

 

After wavering uneasily for months, Thailand’s telecom regulator, on October 20, gave the green light for the merger of two major operators  — True Corporation (True) and Total Access Communication (Dtac).

 

Despite strong protests from the academic community and civic groups, who fear it would lead to market monopoly and adversely impact other businesses and consumer interests, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) voted 3:2 to allow the merger.

 

The move has heightened the hot debate on whether the majority of commissioners had failed to do their duty properly, as they believed they did not have the authority to approve or reject the proposed merger.

 

NBTC’s minority voices 

 

Some NBTC commissioners have raised several reasons to oppose the merger.

 

Pirongrong Ramasoota, one of the commissioners who voted against the merger, cited seven reasons, which she posted on her Facebook page after the vote. She had argued before the vote that True Move H Universal Communications (TUC) had a 31.99 percent of the mobile phone market and Dtac Trinet (DTN) had 17.41 percent. The merger would lead to a high market share of 49.40 percent, resulting in the new entity — along with AIS — creating a duopoly.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/what-lies-ahead-after-nbtc-decision-to-allow-controversial-true-dtac-merger/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-10-25

 

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[mahtin]

The Thailand Consumers Council (TCC), a consumer watchdog, expects that the merger would raise mobile tariffs for customers by 240%.

 

Thaiger

[Puccini]

Can you post a link to that news article?

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

The move has heightened the hot debate on whether the majority of commissioners had failed to do their duty properly, as they believed they did not have the authority to approve or reject the proposed merger.

So disband the non-required toothless useless Telecom regulators.