NBTC 'must have power to allocate frequencies'

[webfact]

NBTC 'must have power to allocate frequencies'
USANEE MONGKOLPORN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE state subcommittee reforming the broadcasting and telecom industries wants the regulator to retain its independence and authority to allocate frequencies.

However, this needs the support of the National Legislative Assembly, Pana Thongmee-akom, chairman of the subcommittee, said last week.

The Pana panel is part of the mass communications committee of the junta-appointed National Reform Council.

The Cabinet recently approved swathes of draft digital economy bills, including the NBTC bill, which revises the powers of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).

Under the bill, the planned national digital economy committee to be chaired by the prime minister will determine which frequencies are for security, public or commercial use. Only those for commercial use will be managed by the NBTC.

Existing laws allow the NBTC to allocate all frequencies. Most of the members of the digital economy committee will come from state agencies. Under the bill, politicians might be able to easily intervene in frequency allocation.

If the NBTC is viewed as inefficient, this problem could be solved bit by bit, he said.

An NBTC source said the downgrading of the NBTC's role stems from the watchdog's conflict with the Army regarding its allocation of an additional band (50-54MHz) to ham radio operators, who have been using the 144-146MHz band. The regulations for this were published in the Royal Gazette last July.

The Army had been using the 50-54MHz band for emergencies.

The NBTC did not invite the Army to the public hearing for this change, the NBTC source added.

Before the coup, the NBTC posted its plan to reallocate this band on its website, saying the regulations would be published in the Royal Gazette soon. This prompted the Army to rush to send a letter to the NBTC opposing the move, but the dispute faded away.

After the coup, the Army sent another letter and the watchdog promised to look into the matter. It prepared to allocate the new band of 146-148MHz for amateur radio and reassign the 50-54MHz band for the military. These changes correspond to its review of the frequency plan every two years.

However, before it could do anything to improve the frequency plan, the ICT Ministry proposed the NBTC bill, which will limit the NBTC's ability to apportion the country's airwaves.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/NBTC-must-have-power-to-allocate-frequencies-30252643.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-26

[cloudhopper]

Only in Thailand would the Army insist on using a frequency band for communications that was used everywhere else in the world by hams.

[yankee99]

Only in Thailand would the Army insist on using a frequency band for communications that was used everywhere else in the world by hams.

correct Its a terrible band for military as interference from ham operators and tv stations would hamper communications

[Barin]

^{I am afraid that the International Frequency Registration Board in Geneva, Switzerland will not approve 146-148MHz for amateur radio use in Thailand.}

^{My understanding is that only 144-146 MHz may be used for 2-meter amateur band...}

^{Please correct me if I am wrong.}

^{I used to be a ham radio operator.}

[KhnomKhnom]

Looks like a simple matter has turned into confusion and bad logic.

1. Radio waves (and TV) in frequencies of about 150MHz and below can travel great distances, and certainly over national borders. This situation is then ripe for what is called "harmonizing" the laws and allocations within a region. In this case, harmonizing and allocating the same bands for the same service to all the nations in a geographic area makes good sense. South East Asia (SEA) makes for a good geographic area to include Burma, Thailand, LaoPDR, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Other nations are some distance from SEA and less susceptible to cross-border conflicting use. Thailand has also the opportunity to lead ASEAN nations in radio allocation harmonizing, too.

Specifics:

a. the 6 meter band, 50-54MHz, is internationally allocated for amateur radio use by international treaties and UN directives. Radio operators in neighboring SEA nations have full permission to use this band. That means that their signals may legally interfere with any Thailand military use, and neighbors can legally listen to the military transmissions. This fact significantly compromises any military uses of this band for any purposes. Immediately adjacent bands are open for military use and are outside of this fact. Thus, the military's hold on this band is illogical and potentially dangerous due to cross-border legal interference. The resistance of the Thai military to allowing harmonizing of this band puts its own operations in jeopardy. Note that amateur radio operators wish to communicate with other such operators in other nations, so there is no interference to other uses or services; it is amateur-to-amateur operations only.

b. the 2 meter band, 144 to 148 MHz, is allocated in full by the ITU to amateur radio in SEA. To date, some Thai forces have limited this band to half, with no clear need nor usage made of the upper half of this amateur radio band. Again, near borders, signals in this band can travel legally from Thailand neighbors into Thailand disrupting whatever use is made. It is illogical and potentially dangerous to use this band for anything except amateur radio. Note that amateur radio operators wish to communicate with other such operators in other nations, so there is no interference to other uses or services.

c. the allocation table at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_radio_frequency_allocations, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) chart, shows other bands cut short, truncated, or denied only for Thailand. The reasons for these banned bands remain unexplained and appear illogical on the same grounds as established above.

2. Reports indicate that the military signals NEVER appear on the 6 meter band and NEVER on the upper half of the 2 meter band. Modern military communications utilize satellites and microwave methods which are more secure and are in line with other modern militaries of other nations. Any modern communications specialist would laugh at anyone suggesting using 6 meters as secure. Military grade equipment for this band has not likely been made for thirty years. The same lack of use and obsolete possible use of the lower frequency bands (such as 160 or 80 meters) suffer the same situation regarding the military.

3. Thailand restrictions on amateur radio bands appear a violation of international law, treaties, and the ITU agreements. Further, by failing to harmonize SEA frequency allocations, the whole region may suffer.

4. These restrictions only within Thailand cram nearly 300,000 licensed amateur radio operators into only HALFof one band that has effective space for less than a hundred communication channels at any one time. These licensees are by vast majority Thai citizens, often enthusiastic young people, trying to learn and enjoy their rightful allocations. Amateur radio operators are self-taught in electronics and computers, conduct advanced learning/cutting edge experiments, and use the amateur bands for self improvement. Thailand is sorely in need of a citizenry with high technical skills; amateur radio is one such area, and it all occurs at NO expense to the government. Amateur radio also contributes importantly to emergency communications (during the tsunami and the Bangkok floods, for example), again a free service to the citizens of the nation, costing the government nothing.

Thailand has more licensed amateur radio operators than all nations--including the USA and UK--except Japan. It is unfair and counterproductive for a highly educated citizen body to be so limited by restrictive allocations that are arguably obsolete and even dangerous. The NBTC has issued grounds for a change for the better; rumors say that the Thai military are stopping these improvements.

[KhnomKhnom]

^{I am afraid that the International Frequency Registration Board in Geneva, Switzerland will not approve 146-148MHz for amateur radio use in Thailand.}

^{My understanding is that only 144-146 MHz may be used for 2-meter amateur band...}

^{Please correct me if I am wrong.}

^{I used to be a ham radio operator.}

To correct you as wrong, ITU allocates the whole 144-148 two meter band for Region 3 amateur radio use. Why speak when you are unsure, and also wrong?

[rickirs]

Looks like the ASEAN community will have to revise their radio frequencies as well. Otherwise they'll "jam" Thai military channels.

We can't let the Thai military have its radio communications interferred with. Think of the threat to national security!