Thai ICT Panel Ordered To Probe Questionable Telecom Deals

[webfact]

ICT panel ordered to probe questionable telecom deals

By Sirivish Toomgum

The Nation

The Information and Communications Technology Ministry yesterday instructed the office of its permanent secretary to set up a panel to examine telecom contracts fraught with legal problems due to doubtful legitimacy or lack of transparency.

ICT Minister Anudith Nakornthap said that these contracts included those already being probed by the Office of the Auditor-General and the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Among them are the deals struck by CAT Telecom and True Corp for joint development of a third-generation wireless broadband service, which is being investigated by the Office of the Auditor-General. The deals raised doubts whether they complied with relevant law and regulations.

The Office of the Auditor-General advised the ICT Ministry recently that the CAT-True deals complied with the 1992 Public-Private Joint Venture Act.

Anudith said he also instructed the ministry's legal unit to examine the ministry's scope of authority in examining the CAT-True deals.

Anudith delivered his policies to high-ranking officials of the ICT state agencies yesterday. He has divided his policies into the urgent tasks that must be finished within one year and those that can take up to four years.

The urgent ones include the promotion of free public Wi-Fi service in major areas such as state agencies, schools and other public places.

The move is part of the Yingluck Shinawatra government's policy of ICT network expansion to bring equal access to broadband services across the country. Another part of this plan is to give 800,000 free tablet computers to Prathom 1 schoolchildren.

The ICT and Education ministries are expected to discuss the project's details soon. Anudith said the Education Ministry was expected to take charge of the tender to procure the tablets, while the ICT Ministry would focus on content development for the devices.

CAT chief executive officer Jirayuth Rungsrithong said CAT and the other state telecom agency, TOT, would discuss how they would support the government's free Wi-Fi scheme.

-- The Nation 2011-08-27

[virtualtraveller]

the task of the century me thinks, unravelling the unlevel telecoms playing fields, whatever you do, one of the advantaged parties will suddenly feel disadvantaged (when they lose the monopoly they bribed so much to get). The court cases and 11th hour bids to block progress will go on for years.

As to the free wifi, there aint no such thing as a free lunch. Who's going to pay for it, and being Thailand it will be under=resourced and over used so speeds will be woeful, certainly not to play games ;-)

[OzMick]

Dodgy telecom deals, who would have thought it. They could ask Myanmar when they intend to start repaying their loan.

[khaowong1]

When I hear, dodgy telecom deals, of course I think of the PM's brother.

[wackysleet]

When I hear, dodgy telecom deals, of course I think of the PM's brother.

Obviously an attempt to deflect the topic away from dodgy Democrats as usually, oh I forgot, Mark was never in bed with anyone, he slept alone.

Some of you so knowledgable Democrats need to wake up to reality, all or most politicians in this country feed from the same trough.

[Crushdepth]

When I hear, dodgy telecom deals, of course I think of the PM's brother.

Obviously an attempt to deflect the topic away from dodgy Democrats as usually, oh I forgot, Mark was never in bed with anyone, he slept alone.

Some of you so knowledgable Democrats need to wake up to reality, all or most politicians in this country feed from the same trough.

Who owned AIS? Who did the dodgy satellite deal? Who magically failed for years on end to set up the government authority that was required to issue licenses to AIS competitors?

[Chang_paarp]

Poacher and gamekeeper problems here. I don't suppose there is a truly independent investigator within the whole government bureaucracy (all departments) that is capable of honest and fearless results of their investigation.

[thaicbr]

I think 'wacky' was talking about the Democrat ICT ministers alleged link with CP the owners of True. Hence the victimization of Dtac.....but i could be wrong.

[TAWP]

I think 'wacky' was talking about the Democrat ICT ministers alleged link with CP the owners of True. Hence the victimization of Dtac.....but i could be wrong.

Seeing as CP has strong ties to TRT/PPP/PT aswell (they try to have ties to whoever is in power)...