Sethaporn Cusripituck, commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), said late last week that the draft featured two types of licence, one for a foreign operator wanting to tap the Thai market and the other for a local one.

Licences to foreign operators will be granted on a reciprocal basis.

Sethaporn said existing Thai satellite operators could also apply for the new licence.

Shin Satellite Plc, which was founded by caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family and has five satellites in orbit, is Thailand's sole satellite operator.

On a separate matter, Sethaporn, who is also in charge of drafting the 3G broadband cellular technology licensing plan, said the NTC might grant 3G licences in two steps, first selecting applicants before the bidding, which would have a price ceiling to avoid bankruptcy.

Though the NTC board has yet to decide if it can grant 3G licences without waiting for the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to be set up, it is going ahead with the draft.

Telecom operators are keenly awaiting licences to operate 3G, which will enable them to offer faster data services.

The Central Administrative Court in November quashed the selection of 14 candidates

for the seven seats on the NBC as being unconstitutional, which set the stage for a new selection.

The frequency-allocation law requires the NTC and NBC to jointly create a telecom and broadcasting master plan.

Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation