"I know we have been under close scrutiny, but we have never strayed from our goal of providing the best service to customers. We know that there are attempts to link us with the former shareholders. In fact we have nothing to do with them any more," Somprasong said.

AIS is the cellular-phone service flagship of Shin Corp, which was founded by the ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The Shinawatra family sold off its shares to the group led by Temasek, Singapore's state investment arm, last January, which triggered strong protests from many people, who regarded the deal as handing a national asset to a foreign entity. AIS then faced a campaign where "patriotic" citizens were urged to break their AIS SIM cards.

Then, a coup was staged by the military-backed Council for National Security (CNS) to overthrow the Thaksin government.

Somprasong said that following the uncertainties of last year, AIS staff were worried that the company might be shut down.

"It was human nature as they were worried for themselves and their families," he added.

On the day of the coup, Somprasong was abroad. On learning of the situation at home, he sent messages to a number of staff members telling them to stay calm and concentrate on working as normal.

Following the coup, the CNS stationed soldiers at all three Shinawatra buildings.

"I understand them: I used to be a soldier, and I do not blame them. Every time a coup takes place, the coup leaders have to monitor what they may regard as a threat," Somprasong added.

He said AIS was a business entity and would not get involved in politics, adding that any allegations of wrongdoing had to be established through by legal process and based on the facts. So far there has not been any ruling that AIS has broken the law.

"What people say about us today is only based on opinion, not proof. The problem arises from ambiguity, and if we can clear that up the situation will improve," he said.

After Shin was taken over, opponents started a campaign urging AIS subscribers to switch to different networks. Somprasong reacted by ordering his staff to treat anyone who wanted to cancel the service politely.

"I told staff to ask customers why they wanted to drop our service and to tell them we were willing to try to improve any aspect of it they were unsatisfied with. But if they wanted to leave us for political reasons, I told my staff to do what the customers wanted and not try to change their minds," he said.

A number of people broke their SIM cards in Shinawatra buildings to protest against the Temasek deal. Somprasong told staff not to panic but to serve them with glasses of water to show them AIS was a good host.

"They were there to protest about our shareholders, not management or shop staff. People are entitled to have different opinions, but we are all Thais, and there is no need to get emotional and try to destroy one another," Somprasong said.

While customers' anti-Temasek mood may have calmed, it does not mean AIS is out of the woods.

The government-backed Asset Examination Committee is probing allegations that TOT permitted the company to pay the concession fee for the pre-paid service at a flat rate of 20 per cent throughout the remaining concession period, a change from the original incremental-payment basis.

In addition, the Information and Communications Technology Ministry sent all telecom concessions, including that of AIS, to be examined by the Council of State to see if they were in breach of the law.

Last year, the company was caught up in a fierce price war, which resulted in mobile-phone networks being overloaded and ate into all operators' profits.

Despite all of these difficulties, Somprasong insisted that AIS remained firm in its mission to give the best service to its over 19 million subscribers.

"We want to be with them wherever they go," he said.

Usanee Mongkolporn

The Nation