TACKLE TELECOM - SUVIT

Database News - Wednesday December 12, 2007

TACKLE TELECOM - SUVIT

Story by DON SAMBANDARAKSA

CIO Association president Suvit Khunkitti has called for a future government to start negotiations between TOT, CAT and the telecom companies to break the deadlock that is holding back the telecommunications sector and called for the next prime minister to take after Vietnam in promotion of the domestic ICT industry.

Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, the former ICT Minister and now leader of the Puea Pandin Party, explained that contracts by mobile operators AIS, DTAC and True Move were all so-called Build, Transfer, Operate (BTO) contracts. This means that the operators technically do not own the networks, rather they are owned by TOT Corporation or CAT Telecom. He said that the two sides must sit down and find a compromise that is fair.

The former state enterprises can no longer expect monopoly status now that they have been corporatised and they have to learn how to start running a business, while the private sector operators cannot expect to take unfair advantage of the government by turning a blind eye to the contracts. "The contracts need to be renewed in a transparent manner," he said.

His party also called for animation and multimedia to be one of the key industries for the country. He said that Thailand is no longer a low cost country and that our industry would have to adjust to stay competitive.

"In Vietnam, the Prime Minister has played an important part in promoting the IT industry . . . We need that kind of leadership," he said.

However, when asked about his role as former ICT Minister under the Thaksin government - which is currently being investigated for making decisions benefitting Shin Corp - Suvit said only that those decisions were made before his time.

Bangkok Post