NCPO considering amalgamation plan for TOT, CAT

[webfact]

Junta considering amalgamation plan for TOT, CAT
Usanee Mongkolporn
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The junta is seeking ways to help the two struggling state telecom enterprises, TOT and CAT Telecom, overcome the competition and one of the ideas being considered is to amalgamate them.

A Finance Ministry source said last week that if this military government with absolute power cannot merge them, there would be no opportunity at all in the future under civilian governments to see their consolidation.

The ministry is expected to release the names of new TOT directors this week. General Surapong Suwannaat, deputy joint chief of staff, is expected to be appointed chairman.

The ministry recently selected 15 CAT directors, including General Sirichai Distakul, assistant Army chief, as chairman. The board has already instructed the management to finish CAT's rehabilitation plan and submit it within 15 days.

TOT has a workforce of 16,000, while CAT has 6,000. CAT has some 2,000 telecommunications towers and some 20,000 kilometres of fibre-optic networks.

The tally does not include the assets under build-operate-transfer concessions granted to Total Access Communication and TrueMove. CAT disputes the ownership of many of the towers under these deals.

TOT has about 12,000 towers and some 100,000km of fibre-optic networks.

The Information and Communications Technology will soon call a meeting with the Finance Ministry and the State Enterprise Policy Office to draw up a clear survival plan for TOT and CAT.

Methini Thepmani, permanent secretary of the ICT Ministry, said both ministries would discuss the clear roles of TOT and CAT in the future and how to prevent redundant investment.

She thinks both state enterprises should act as national network providers by leasing their vast infrastructure to companies.

Recently Takorn Tantasit, secretary-general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, said the NBTC plans to require winners of its future telecom spectrum licence auctions to give priority to TOT and CAT's infrastructure when they expand their networks.

This is aimed at helping them become real national network providers.

The NBTC has informed the junta about the proposal, which would cover all future licence auctions, including those for the 1,800- and 900-megahertz frequencies.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Junta-considering-amalgamation-plan-for-TOT-CAT-30239571.html

-- The Nation 2014-07-28

[TimCM]

More jobs for the boys. Wasn't YL deposed for giving jobs to her connections...

I am sure these military connections have all the right experience and education to run a telco company

[aussieinthailand]

More jobs for the boys. Wasn't YL deposed for giving jobs to her connections...

I am sure these military connections have all the right experience and education to run a telco company

And the same will go for the NLA, Jobs for the boy's,

Right on both statements mate.

The TOT internet (service) I use that term very loosely,,, BLOWS!!!, we used TOT for one year and never had the bill arrive before due date, usually 2 weeks late, after the first time we were told we will have to pay a late fine, to which I politely said NOT A CHANCE, if you can't get your bill too me on time that's your problem, so we always paid a week early to avoid any issues.

As for CAT, I can't comment I've not used the company.

[chotthee]

More jobs for the boys. Wasn't YL deposed for giving jobs to her connections...

I am sure these military connections have all the right experience and education to run a telco company

They do. The Thai army have a large Radio Signal Battalion near Suan Plu immigration office. It is very well run and kept.

กองพันทหารสื่อสาร รักษาพระองค์

[khwaibah]

Best thing that can happen for TOT and CAT AND the consumer.

[Pib]

.. we used TOT for one year and never had the bill arrive before due date, usually 2 weeks late, after the first time we were told we will have to pay a late fine, to which I politely said NOT A CHANCE, if you can't get your bill too me on time that's your problem, so we always paid a week early to avoid any issues.

When the wife and I first got to Thailand we signed up for True cell phone service and had a very similar problem in billing...the first monthly bill found our mailbox just fine and our address was correct in their system, but we never got another bill in the mail. We were not on ebilling, address fine in the True system (their separate TrueOnline and TrueVisions monthly bills always found our mail box no problem), but True Mobile just couldn't get our mobile/cell bill delivered...they always blamed it on the mailman...we would visit a True service center once a month to determine what the bill was and pay it...and once again complain about not getting a bill in the mail...but as I mentioned their other two bills could find our mailbox just fine. We dropped True mobile after 6 months and switched to DTAC...zero problems in the DTAC bills finding our mailbox for years now.

[chooka]

So eliminate competition and head towards a monopoly. Sounds good for the customer.

[selftaopath]

After being on "the list" for TOT service for 8 month we went to the TOT office with "incentive." An internet line was found w/in hours and we received TOT internet. TOT is the only provider in rural Isaan where we live - I believe. So I'm GRATEFUL for having any internet connection. I think it would be extremely challenging or nearly impossible for me to reside in a rural setting without this connection. I find TOT service somewhat acceptable... well except for when it goes out repeatedly.

[Nampetch]

What's it going to become? TAT?

[Dah fahrang]

Best thing that can happen for TOT and CAT AND the consumer.

.....followed by the swift privatisation of the whole organisation.

Cease being a state run "mickey-mouse" outfit, open it to shareholders, and turn a profit.

Why need it continue to be a loss making behemoth, overstaffed by the lazy?

[Pib]

What's it going to become? TAT?

TIT - Telephone & Internet Thailand

[belg]

there is no thai word for competition

[ratcatcher]

there is no thai word for competition

I know you don't mean that, do you?

การแข่งขัน = gaan kàeng kăn

Thais compete on the roads every day. Wonderful to watch.

[Langsuan Man]

What ever happened to TT&T, which was always advertised as TOT's sister company (whatever that meant) ?

[englishoak]

Great fee market thinking, lets amalgamate the competition and form a monopoly instead