Product Type: Market Research Report
Published by: Asia Pacific Telecom Research Ltd
Published: September 2009
Product Code: R690-20Description Thailand is a country with considerable potential. It has abundant natural resources, a sizeable population and a strong cultural heritage. It is a popular tourist destination and has developed a strong manufacturing sector. At the same time, it has suffered a number of negative effects over the years from political instability and widespread corruption, and these have tended to damage the country’s standing in the world.
Despite these problems, Thailand has many positive features. It now has a reasonably strong economy, having put most of the problems exposed by the economic crisis of 1997 behind it. The country is diversifying, relying less on the proceeds from low-level manufacturing and more on service industries. The infrastructure is being improved, while greater investment in education, which has always been seriously deficient, should result in long-term benefits in the country’s aim to become a much more sophisticated society.
The country’s social and economic development is guided by a series of development plans that are produced by a government agency, the National Economic and Social Development Board. The plans cover successive five-year intervals, each one building on the last. The first was produced in 1961, and the latest plan is the ninth in the series covering the period 2007-2011.
The most pressing - and most difficult - issue in the telecom industry today is the liberalisation and de-regulation of the market, a process that was supposed to be complete by the end of 2006 but is still a long way from being accomplished.
The range and complexity of the concessions granted to companies in the private sector by various government agencies over the years has been a major difficulty. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the terms and conditions of those concessions are complex, varied and sometimes obscure.
Also, the country has not been helped by years of neglect of the country’s information infrastructure, where powerful vested interests, both in government and outside it, simply acted to further their own ends.
The telecom industry has, in many respects, recovered well from the serious financial crisis experienced by the country in 1997. That crisis had severe repercussions for the whole economy but, for a variety of reasons, was particularly damaging to the telecom industry. The costs of the major infrastructural investments that many telecom companies had just made could not be recouped because of a fall in demand. Many companies are still suffering because of the large debts they incurred at that time.
Nevertheless, the telecom industry is recovering. Nowhere is this clearer than in the mobile sector where rapid subscriber growth over the past four years has taken the country up into the middle range of Asia-Pacific countries in terms of mobile telephony penetration. Other telecom sectors are also showing promise.
Further development of the telecom infrastructure is crucial to the success of a number of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) projects that have been initiated, many with government backing.
Thailand’s telecom industry is still under-developed, but its potential makes it an attractive proposition as a medium-to-long-term investment. Even so, one needs to understand the market thoroughly to capitalize on this potential. This Study is designed to assist that understanding.
Table of Contents
- CHAPTER 1 - KEY DATA
- Key Data
- CHAPTER 2 - COUNTRY OVERVIEW
- Introduction
- History
- Geography
- Development Plans
- Population
- Population Size and Growth
- Number of Households and Annual Growth
- Main Urban Areas
- Language
- Education
- Government
- Instability of Governments
- Economy
- Summary
- CHAPTER 3 - TELECOM OVERVIEW
- Background
- Roles of Government Agencies
- Telecom Concessions
- Current Situation
- Restructuring the Concessions
- Merger of Operators
- Information Technology Development Plans
- Network Infrastructure
- Local Network
- Long Distance Network
- Mobile Telephone Networks
- Domestic Submarine Cables
- International Terrestrial Cables
- International Submarine Cables
- Domestic Satellites
- International Satellites
- Government IT Bodies
- National Science and Technology Development Agency
- The National Information Technology Committee
- National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre
- Thai Social-Scientific Academic and Research Network
- SchoolNET
- The ThaiTambon Project
- Government Information Network
- Software Parks
- Telecom Network Pool
- Summary
- CHAPTER 4 - REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
- Background
- Current Situation
- Relevant Ministry
- Regulatory Bodies
- The Ministry of Transport and Communications
- The Telephone Organisation of Thailand
- The Communications Authority of Thailand
- The Post and Telegraph Department
- Telecommunications Business Operations Act
- Privatisation of State Regulators
- Establishment of a Regulatory Body
- Foreign Ownership
- Radio and Television Broadcasting Act
- Other Telecommunications Laws
- Data Protection Law
- Computer Crime/Computer-Related Crime Law
- Electronic Data Interchange EDI) Law
- Digital Signature Law
- Electronic Funds Transfer Law
- Universal Access Law
- The National Telecommunications Commission
- National Broadcasting Commission
- New Licensing Regime
- Type One Licence
- Type Two Licence
- Type Three Licence
- Interconnection Charges
- Summary
- CHAPTER 5 - LOCAL SERVICES
- Background
- Current Situation
- Details of Concessions
- Access Lines in Service
- Number and Annual Growth of Lines in Service
- Teledensity
- Service Providers
- Tariffs
- Further Information
- Summary
- CHAPTER 6 - LONG-DISTANCE SERVICES
- Background
- Current Situation
- Long Distance Concessionaires
- Long Distance Infrastructure Details
- Cable Projects
- East Coast Project
- West Coast Project
- State Railway Project
- Transmission and Network Expansion Project
- Satellite Projects
- Operation of Satellites
- VSAT Services
- Tariffs
- Rural Telephone Project
- Further Information
- Summary
- CHAPTER 7 - INTERNATIONAL SERVICES
- Background
- Current Situation
- International Operators
- Network Infrastructure
- Land Cables
- Submarine Cables
- Satellites
- Services Provided
- Tariffs
- Internet Telephony
- Further Information
- Summary
- CHAPTER 8 - MOBILE TELEPHONE SERVICES
- Background
- Current Situation
- Number of Subscribers
- Subscriber Growth
- Penetration of Mobile Telephones
- Concessions Granted
- Subsequent Developments
- Shareholders
- Operator Details
- Advanced Info Service
- Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia
- Total Access Communication
- Thai Mobile
- True Move
- Market Shares
- Personal Cordless Telephone System
- CT2 Services
- Removal of Security Locks
- Mobile Number Portability
- Further Information
- Summary
- CHAPTER 9 - WIRELESS DATA SERVICES
- Background
- Current Situation
- Wireless Data Operators
- Advanced Info Service
- Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia
- Thai Mobile
- Total Access Communications
- True Move
- Wireless Application Protocol
- General Packet Radio Service
- Short Messaging Service
- Multimedia Messaging Service
- 3G Services
- Current Wireless Data Activities
- TOT Corp
- Advanced Info Service
- DTAC
- CAT Telecom
- Further Information
- Summary
- CHAPTER 10 - BROADBAND SERVICES
- Background
- Current Situation
- Infrastructure Initiatives
- Number of Subscribers
- Number and Growth of Subscribers
- Penetration of Broadband
- Service Suppliers
- Shin Satellite
- True Corp
- United Communications Industry
- Tariffs
- Further Information
- Summary
- CHAPTER 11 - INTERNET SERVICES
- Background
- Current Situation
- Regulatory Authority
- Legislation Pending
- The Digital Signature Law
- The Universal Access Law
- The Data Protection Law
- The Electronic Funds Transfer Law
- The Computer-Related Crime Act
- Number of Users
- Number and Growth of Users
- Penetration of Internet Usage
- Penetration of Personal Computers
- Key Drivers of Internet Usage
- Cost of Phone Calls
- Regional Competitiveness
- Key Inhibitors of Internet Usage
- Connection Speed
- Cost
- Localised Material
- Facility in English
- Technological Skills
- Availability of PCs
- Government Initiatives
- e Thailand Initiative
- Internet Tambon Project
- Internet Data Centres
- List of Internet Service Providers
- Tariffs
- Internet Exchanges
- Internet Telephony
- ThaiSarn
- SchoolNet Thailand
- Thai RuralNet Project
- Internet-Related Organisations
- Ministry of Information and Communications Technology
- The National Information Technology Committee
- The National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre
- Internet Society of Thailand
- The Telephone Association of Thailand
- Association of Thai Computer Industry
- Thailand Internet Users Group internet.thinet.com)
- Thailand Internet Domain-Name Association
- Thailand Internet Service Providers Club
- Further Information
- Summary
- CHAPTER 12 - E-COMMERCE
- Background
- Current Situation
- Relevant Legislation
- Electronic Transactions Law
- Computer-Related Crime Act
- Electronic Transactions Commission
- E-Commerce Registration
- E-Commerce Framework
- Government Support
- Drivers of E-Commerce
- Industries
- Environment
- Inhibitors of E-Commerce
- Lack of Knowledge and Understanding
- Lack of Trust
- Cost
- Low Credit Card Penetration
- Taxation
- Value of E-Commerce
- Total Volume of E-Commerce Business
- Per Capita Value of E-Commerce
- Electronic Commerce Resource Centre
- Further Information
- Summary
- CHAPTER 13 - PAGING SERVICES
- Background
- Current Situation
- Service Providers
- Consolidation Among the Operators
- Summary
- CHAPTER 14 - TRUNKED RADIO SERVICES
- Background
- Current Situation
- Concessionaires
- Service Development
- RadioPhone
- World Radio
- Miscellaneous Applications
- Summary
- CHAPTER 15 - CABLE & SATELLITE INFRASTRUCTURE
- Background
- Current Situation
- Domestic Terrestrial Projects
- State Railway Project
- Transmission Network Expansion Project
- Domestic Submarine Projects
- East Coast Project
- West Coast Project
- Petchaburi - Sri Racha Cable
- Domestic Satellite Project
- International Terrestrial Cables
- China - Southeast Asia Cable Network
- Cables to Other Countries
- International Submarine Cables
- Cables in Operation
- Landing Stations
- International Satellites
- Ground Stations
- Thaicom Satellite Control Station
- Thaicom Teleport and DTH Centre
- International Circuits
- iPSTAR Satellites
- Further Information
- Summary
- CHAPTER 16 - PAY-TV
- Background
- Current Situation
- Regulatory Position
- Regulatory Bodies
- Concessions and Licences
- Content
- Broadcasting Act 2008
- Public Service
- Community Service
- Business Service
- Pay-TV Concessions
- Subscriber Details
- Number and Annual Growth
- Subscriber Breakdown by Technology
- Subscribers per 100 Households
- Pay-TV Availability
- Tariffs
- Summary
- CHAPTER 17 - COMPANY PROFILES
- Advanced Info Service Public Co Ltd
- Introduction
- Milestones
- Ownership
- Subsidiaries
- Products and Services
- Strategy
- Financial Results
- AIS’ Statements of Income, 2008 and 2007
- AIS’ Balance Sheets, 2008 and 2007
- Further Information
- Assessment
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Communications Authority of Thailand
- Introduction
- Milestones
- Privatisation Plan
- Services Provided
- CDMA Networks
- Expansion Plans
- Re-Branding
- Strategy
- Further Information
- Assessment
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Thai Telephone and Telecommunication Plc
- Introduction
- Milestones
- Ownership
- Subsidiaries
- Products and Services
- TT&T Public Co Ltd
- TT&T Subscriber Services Co Ltd
- Triple T Global Net Co Ltd
- Triple T Broadband Co Ltd
- Triple T Telecom Co Ltd
- Financial Results
- TT&T’s Profit and Loss Statements, 2007 and 2006
- TT&T’s Balance Sheets, 2007 and 2006
- Further Information
- Assessment
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- TOT Public Company Ltd
- Introduction
- Associated Companies
- Privatisation
- Merger of State Organisations
- Organisational Structure
- Traditional Services
- New Growth Engine Services
- Products and Services
- Domestic Telephone Services Operated by TOT Alone
- Domestic Telecom Services Operated in Co-Operation with the Private Sector
- 1900 MHz Mobile Phone
- International Fixed Line Services to Neighbouring Countries
- International Satellite Services Operated with the Private Sector Companies
- Value Added Services
- Further Information
- Assessment
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Total Access Communications Plc
- Introduction
- Milestones
- Ownership
- Subsidiaries
- Products and Services Offered
- Financial Results
- TAC’s Statements of Income, 2008 and 2007
- TAC’s Balance Sheets for 2008 and 2007
- Further Information
- Assessment
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- True Corp Public Co Ltd
- Introduction
- Milestones
- Ownership
- Subsidiaries and Affiliates
- Services Provided
- Cellular Phone
- Fixed Line Network
- Personal Communication Telephone
- Public Phone
- Internet
- Multimedia
- Business Data Services
- Debt Restructuring
- Financial Results
- True Corp’s Income Statements, 2008 and 2007
- True Corp’s Balance Sheets for 2008 and 2007
- Further Information
- Assessment
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- CHAPTER 18 - CONTACT DETAILS
- Government
- Software Park
- Public Bodies and Associations
- Telecom Companies
- Public Radio Network Co Ltd
- Internet Service Providers
- Other IT Companies
- APPENDIX 1
- Satellites Serving Thailand
- APPENDIX 2
- Submarine Cables Serving Thailand
- LIST OF EXHIBITS
- CHAPTER 2 - COUNTRY OVERVIEW
- EXHIBIT 2.1: Population Size and Annual Growth, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 2.2: Number and Growth of Households, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 2.3: Population of Main Urban Areas
- CHAPTER 3 - TELECOM OVERVIEW
- EXHIBIT 3.1: Government Telecom Agencies and Their Roles
- EXHIBIT 3.2: Telecom Concessions in the Private Sector
- CHAPTER 5 - LOCAL SERVICES
- EXHIBIT 5.1: Number and Growth of Lines in Service, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 5.2: Access Lines in Service per 100 Inhabitants, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 5.3: Local Network Service Providers
- EXHIBIT 5.4: Basic Tariffs
- CHAPTER 6 - LONG-DISTANCE SERVICES
- EXHIBIT 6.1: Long Distance Concessionaires
- EXHIBIT 6.2: Long Distance Tariffs (Baht per minute)
- CHAPTER 7 - INTERNATIONAL SERVICES
- EXHIBIT 7.1: International Service Providers
- EXHIBIT 7.2: CAT’s IDD Tariffs (in Baht)
- CHAPTER 8 - MOBILE TELEPHONE SERVICES
- EXHIBIT 8.1: Number of Subscribers and Annual Growth, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 8.2: Penetration of Mobile Phones, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 8.3: Cellular Operators, Technologies Used and Start Dates
- EXHIBIT 8.4: Current Operators and Main Shareholders
- EXHIBIT 8.5: Market Shares (at end 2008)
- CHAPTER 10 - BROADBAND SERVICES
- EXHIBIT 10.1: Number and Growth of Broadband Subscribers, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 10.2: Penetration of Broadband, 2008-2013
- CHAPTER 11 - INTERNET SERVICES
- EXHIBIT 11.1: Number and Growth of Internet Users, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 11.2: Penetration of Internet Usage, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 11.3: ISP Names and Internet Addresses
- CHAPTER 12 - E-COMMERCE
- EXHIBIT 12.1: Total Volume of E-Commerce Business, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 12.2: Per Capita Value of E-Commerce, 2008-2013
- CHAPTER 13 - PAGING SERVICES
- EXHIBIT 13.1: Paging Service Licensees
- CHAPTER 14 - TRUNKED RADIO SERVICES
- EXHIBIT 14.1: Trunked Radio Service Licensees
- CHAPTER 15 - CABLE & SATELLITE INFRASTRUCTURE
- EXHIBIT 15.1: Satellite Launch Dates and Life Expectancy
- EXHIBIT 15.2: International Cable Names and Abbreviations
- EXHIBIT 15.3: Satellites Serving Thailand, with Locations
- EXHIBIT 15.4: Number of International Circuits
- CHAPTER 16 - PAY-TV
- EXHIBIT 16.1: Pay-TV Concessions and Concession Periods
- EXHIBIT 16.2: Number and Annual Growth of Subscribers, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 16.3: Number of Pay-TV Subscribers by Technology, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 16.4: Subscribers per 100 Households, 2008-2013
- EXHIBIT 16.5: TrueVisions Tariffs (Units: Baht)
- CHAPTER 17 - COMPANY PROFILES
- Advanced Info Service Public Co Ltd
- EXHIBIT 17.1: Shareholders of AIS
- EXHIBIT 17.2: Subsidiaries, Type of Business and AIS Share
- EXHIBIT 17.3: AIS’ Statement of Income, 2008 and 2007
- EXHIBIT 17.4: AIS’ Balance Sheet, 2008 and 2007
- Thai Telephone and Telecommunication Plc
- EXHIBIT 17.5: TT&T’s Main Shareholders
- EXHIBIT 17.6: TT&T’s Subsidiaries and Types of Business
- EXHIBIT 17.7: TT&T’s Profit and Loss Statements, 2007 and 2006
- EXHIBIT 17.8: TT&T’s Balance Sheets, 2007 and 2006
- TOT Public Company Ltd
- EXHIBIT 17.9: TOT’s Shareholdings in Associated Companies
- Total Access Communications Plc
- EXHIBIT 17.10: Main Shareholders of TAC
- EXHIBIT 17.11: TAC’s Main Subsidiaries
- EXHIBIT 17.12: TAC’s Statements of Income, 2008 and 2007
- EXHIBIT 17.13: TAC’s Balance Sheets, 2008 and 2007
- True Corp Public Co Ltd
- EXHIBIT 17.14: True Corp’s Main Shareholders
- EXHIBIT 17.15: Main Subsidiaries, Type of Business and True’s Share
- EXHIBIT 17.16: True’s Income Statements, 2008 and 2007
- EXHIBIT 17.17: True’s Balance Sheets, 2008 and 2007
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