CAT will proceed with the plan to build a national Internet gateway

[webfact]

Net gateway for digital hub
USANEE MONGKOLPORN,
ASINA PORNWASIN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- CAT TELECOM has announced that it will proceed with the plan to build a national Internet gateway, which it claims would help make Thailand a digital hub in Asean.

The aim of the project is not to control the flow of information into the country over the Internet as some fear, said CAT acting chief executive officer Colonel Sanpachai Huvanandana.

He said a working committee for the project would be set up. Whether that committee is under the Information and Communications Technology Ministry or under the Digital Economy Committee is up to the ICT minister.

The national Internet gateway is one of two priorities for making Thailand a digital hub for the region by expanding capacity and reducing costs. The other is to have large content providers such as Facebook, Google and YouTube establish servers in Thailand.

Sanpachai said getting those big players to establish servers here would entail adjustments of regulations and laws, including those on immigration. Other incentives such as tax exemptions and Board of Investment privileges would also be needed.

Meanwhile, to expand capacity and reduce costs, all international Internet gateway (IIG) providers would have to collaborate in forecasting future demand and crafting Internet network investment plans. Such collaboration would not only reduce investment duplication, it would also reduce the cost of IIG traffic, he said.

The combined current capacity of TOT's and CAT Telecom's IIG networks will be able to support demand for only the next five years. Thailand needs to plan now to ensure it has sufficient network capacity to support future demand.

"We have talked with some IIG service providers. We agree that the whole existing IIG network is insufficient for the future. We propose to co-invest and cooperate as a consortium, in order to increase the capability of IIG network investment and management as well as to reduce the cost of investment. It eventually will reduce consumers' Internet costs," Sanpachai said.

He said Thailand now had around 2 terabytes of outbound international Internet traffic, which is growing by 80 per cent annually. Within five years, it is forecast that Thailand will have 50TB of outbound international Internet traffic. Given their current maximum capacity, CAT and TOT can handle that amount of traffic for only the next five years.

"The national Internet gateway is a part of the country's digital-hub strategy. It is not aimed at consolidating all international Internet traffic through a single gateway to control Internet content, as people understand," Sanpachai said.

The strategy to make the country a digital hub is divided into three phases. The first phase is to support digital start-ups and attract digital-content providers to invest in Thailand.

The second phase is to increase IIG capability, especially via submarine cable, possible through investing in a new one or expanding the existing network. The third phase is to establish a digital innovation park in order to build a digital business and service ecosystem in Thailand.

Joint efforts

ICT Minister Uttama Savayana said TOT and CAT would need to discuss implementing some of the projects together, including those involving international undersea cables and nationwide underground cables.

Suphachai Chearavanont, president of the Telecommunications Association of Thailand, said that to transform the country into a regional digital hub it would be necessary to create land-based cable links connecting Thailand with Myanmar, Laos, China and India. In the Southern region, the country should establish a similar link with Indonesia.

Internet Thailand (INET) managing director Morragot Kulatumyotin said having a national Internet gateway along with having large content providers establish their servers in Thailand would benefit the country a lot. As an Internet service provider, she said, INET now buys IIG traffic from four service providers: CAT Telecom, TOT, JasTel and True. CAT and TOT each have a 16 per cent share in INET.

"It would be good to have better prices for IIG services, which would reduce the cost of the Internet for end-users as well. But the concern is to maintain quality," Morragot said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Net-gateway-for-digital-hub-30271280.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-21

[MaiChai]

CAT tries to create a monopoly so that they can keep prices high and choice low?

[kmj]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

[Bluespunk]

"The aim of the project is not to control the flow of information into the country over the Internet as some fear, said CAT acting chief executive officer Colonel Sanpachai Huvanandana."

Someone needs to check their pants, I think they're on fire.

[Somtamnication]

" said CAT acting chief executive officer Colonel " Seriously, need we read more?

[docshock13]

I thought they just scrapped this. Now it is back on the table just re-packaged and renamed?

Pants on fire, indeed!

[VIPinthailand]

CAT= the new Thai NSA

[NongKhaiKid]

Given the previous supposed govt scrapping the idea the title of an old BBC television show is appropriate,

' No, Honestly '.

[Thailand]

Internet savvy they are not. Yoda?

[MaxLee]

Apparently the CAT were rubbing their greedy hands, when they heard the government about proposing the "single gateway" and thought to bring back the "National gateway". their own type of "Single gateway in disguise",............... watch out for your websites and for notorious hacker kids now, FAT CAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HooHaa]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

medical tourism

[aussieinthailand]

Anyone really surprised at this? If we can fined a more difficult way then yeah we'll do it. Cat and TOT don't have that much of a following accept for those that don't have a choice so their customers are so few but each year the privet company's are expanding their service and this turd will fall on it's face...

Yet another example of those in power hearing the people but NOT LISTERNING!!!

[selftaopath]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

Maybe. How about the hub of road fatalities (for starters).

[cornishcarlos]

I'm really disappointed. Not by the covert attempt to implement their single gateway, but because in an article about the internet they never used the new buzz word "netizens"

[pinkpanther99]

Govt announces Single Gateway has been scrapped.

A week later CAT announces new Internet Gateway.

Who are they trying to kidd?

Smart move.

And I thought Thais couldn't really do politics.

Did you also see the news yesterday that one of Thailand's most senior security officials is about to be appointed chairman of CAT.

The plot certainly does thicken.

[tx22cb]

"have large content providers such as Facebook, Google and YouTube establish servers in Thailand"

... as long as these local servers can filter selected content from Thai devices so we won't get these green screens of death

[OnTheRun]

" said CAT acting chief executive officer Colonel " Seriously, need we read more?

Just coming on to post similar. Are the junta now branching into public companies?

[alant]

Cant think of what to say. A cunning plot?

[Maggusoil]

"The aim of the project is not to control the flow of information into the country over the Internet as some fear, said CAT acting chief executive officer Colonel Sanpachai Huvanandana."

Someone needs to check their pants, I think they're on fire.

Maybe so, however they have definitely employed a competent spin doctor to grease the pole.

[BuaBS]

He said Thailand now had around 2 terabytes of outbound international Internet traffic

Per day ? Seems low to me.

[Emster23]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

human trafficking?

[Minnehaha]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

medical tourism

How much of this was driven by Govt plans or plans at the national institutional level?

not much

How much was driven by high end hospitals leveraging their capacity and hiring extremely successful marketing and QC people as well as launching a home grown IT services company to customize software and implement it at hospitals like ... well Bumrungrad is the best example but there are others in the Dusit Group and even outside the Dusit group.

None of them are govt run teaching hospitals.

There is no private medical school educating professionals. Not even nursing.

The private sector is more responsible for medical tourism success in Thailand.

The only aspect I think may show govt support is with allowing or liaising with foreign govts and their healthcare providers to facilitate payment by National Medical - which is what pays for a lot of the middle easterners getting services at Brad and the like. Perhaps one can make the argument the Thai govt helped facilitate this aspect?

[Hawk]

How can anyone trust a government that continually lies?

[whatawonderfulday]

Can anyone name any attempt by Thailand to be the hub of anything ever succeed?

Several

1) Hub of Corruption

2) Hub of Nepotism

3) Hub of Government incompetence

4) Hub of Military incompetence

To name but 4

[EJK]

CAT will get <deleted> off by the CYBER KINGS and the government will not be troll extend anyway

The new PM will squash this and they are all liars

[EJK]

CAT will get <deleted> off by the CYBER KINGS and the government will not be troll extend anyway

The new PM will squash this and they are all liars

[EJK]

You are professional liars

The people do not believe you or care to listen to your lies.

You want to use the internet to brain wash others. Remove there decision making

You are crazys

[Pib]

The aim of the project is not to control the flow of information into the country over the Internet as some fear, said CAT acting chief executive officer Colonel Sanpachai Huvanandana.

Both CAT and TOT are state-owned companies. This is just a backdoor approach to building the Thailand Great Firewall by having state-owned and basically state-controlled companies controlling the Thailand internet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAT_Telecom

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TOT_Public_Company_Limited

[EJK]

Not talk shit please about getting FBI HERE

YOU ARE A BIG BIG LIAR

YOU HATE FB YOUR A MAN THAT HATES FREEDOM....... The Thais are smarter than you think

You will loose

[Praematura]

So the new head of CAT was until his appointment head of the NSC... So CAT is implementing a single gateway that all providers must collaborate on to avoid duplicate investments...

What's missing is an explanation as to how implanting a single gateway to censor information will make Thailand a digital hub for ASEAN. These announcements are so counterintuitive that I question if the new head of CAT or the spy agency here really understand how a single gateway will retard the economy.