Telecoms and IT
From The Report: Thailand 2012
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Thailand lags behind its peers in several measures of connectivity and IT-readiness, although this may change in the near-term. A 3G spectrum auction is scheduled for the third quarter of 2012 after years of delay that saw neighbours adopt the standard widely and even implement 4G. Reforms to the state-owned enterprises that control the infrastructure – TOT and CAT – are being considered, which could enhance competition and lower prices. On the IT front, hardware sales dominate the market, with relatively strong growth in computer sales, albeit from a low base. Smartphones and tablets are expected to attract a disproportionate share of the hardware market, especially given the government’s plan to give tablets to schoolchildren.

This section features interviews with Anudith Nakornthap, Minister of Information and Communication Technology; Thares Punsri, Chairman, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC); Jon Eddy Abdullah, CEO, Total Access Communication (DTAC); Suphachai Chearavanont, President & CEO, True Corporation; and Wichian Mektrakarn, CEO, Advanced Info Service (AIS).

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

More, please: Upcoming 3G auction to help meet rising demand for data services
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While still facing a degree of regulatory uncertainty in 2011, the telecoms sector continued to expand rapidly during the course of the year, backed by strong demand for voice and data services. By the close of 2011 voice penetration had reached 15% in fixed-line (9.8m subscribers) and 109% in mobile (73.7m), according to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT). Yet Thailand still lags behind its regional peers in its telecoms and IT infrastructure, falling 12 places…

Interview

OBG talks to Thares Punsri, Chairman, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)
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Interview: Thares Punsri In what ways do you think convergence affects growth forecasts for the telecoms sector? THARES PUNSRI: In the future we foresee a convergence in interests between broadband and the wider telecoms industry to cater to the growing demand for data connectivity amongst the public. As media and entertainment companies seek to enter this converged market, we may see increasing competition in content and other value-added services. As the converged industry regulator, the NBTC…

Analysis

Expanding broadband: Moves afoot to enable the sector to reach its full potential
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While the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) has promoted ADSL connections since the first national information and communications technology (ICT) plan (2002-08), significant growth in broadband services only started in 2006 as fixed-line operators extended their copper network in larger urban areas. “Broadband penetration is still low, at only 3.5% of households and roughly 12% of the population, mainly in metropolitan areas and large cities,” Thares Punsri, the…

Overview

Growing up: Services play an increasingly important role in a market that already has a strong hardware segment
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The economy’s sizeable industrial cluster of electronics production has contributed to making Thailand’s IT sector one of the most dynamic, even by the region’s high standards. Its global leadership in hard drive and computer production, for instance, has provided fertile ground for software developers. Meanwhile, local demand continues to signal a high growth trajectory for all things electronic, making Thailand the largest software market in South-east Asia, according to the Business…

Interview

OBG talks to Suphachai Chearavanont, President & CEO, True Corporation
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Interview: Suphachai Chearavanont What is the outlook for mobile penetration in Thailand over the medium term? To what extent is growth in the data services segment outpacing the voice portion of the market? SUPHACHAI CHEARAVANONT: Mobile phone penetration in Thailand, as measured by the number of active SIM cards in the market, exceeds 100%. This suggests limited room for growth. Similarly, revenue from the mobile voice segment has been increasing at a rate in the low-to-mid single digits, in…

Interview

OBG talks to Wichian Mektrakarn, CEO, Advanced Info Service (AIS)
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Interview: Wichian Mektrakarn How is the growth in mobile traffic affecting the requirements for network upgrades? WICHIAN MAKTRAKARN: Strong expansion in the non-voice part of the market has underpinned operators’ growth recently, mainly in the form of data usage. We expect this to continue over the next 3-5 years. Although mobile penetration is over 105%, basic voice service has also increased following the economic recovery since 2009 and improved consumer sentiment. The trend is quite good.…

Analysis

Taking to tablets: Applications are big business as the market goes mobile
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In line with global trends, sales of smartphones and tablet computers in Thailand have steadily increased in recent years. For smartphones, this growth has come despite limited 3G service availability (see Telecoms overview). Regardless, sales of these devices grew by 200% in 2011, according to market research firm IDC. Moreover, this trend looks set to continue, with smartphones expected to account for half of the handset market by year-end 2012, the National Broadcast and Telecommunication…