TOT, CAT Telecom unionists calls for constitutional court ruling on 3G license bidding

BANGKOK: -- Representatives of the labour unions of TOT Plc and Cat Telecom Plc Wednesday sought help from a Senate committee to seek a ruling of the Constitution Court to block the 3G license bidding scheduled in December.

The unionists submitted the letter against the bidding to Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn, the chairman of the Senate committee on human rights.

Sukhum Chuenmana, president of the CAT Telecom Labour Union, said the bidding could be unconstitutional because the charter requires the National Telecom and Broadcasting Commission to allocate frequencies and the National Telecom Commission, which acts as the NTBC, does not make quorum.

Sukhum said the NTC only has 3 members left.

Sukhum also voiced concern that the bidding would allow foreign firms to monopolise 3G frequencies, which should have been reserved for Thai firms.

-- The Nation 2009-10-13

All they want is hold on to the concession fees that they've gotten used to over the years. I've never understood those - it seems like there are laws that entitle TOT and CAT to get money from mobile operators without providing any service or doing anything in return. Fishy, to say the least.