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Published on February 8, 2008

Speaking to the press yesterday on his first day in office, Man Pattanothai hinted his ministry would make the low-cost computers available but declined to elaborate, pending the government's announcement of the national policy to Parliament.

The ICT Ministry introduced low-cost laptop and desktop computers, worth about Bt10,000 each, for the first time in 2003 during the tenure of Surapong Suebwonglee, who is now deputy prime minister and finance minister.

Man said the ministry had many policies prepared by Deputy PM and Industry Minister Suwit Khunkitti. Suwit, another former ICT minister, is now leader of the Puea Pandin Party, while Man is its deputy leader.

The ministry will tackle ongoing conflicts between state telecommunications agencies and their private concessionaires, seeking a win-win situation on the basis of compromise, Man added.

"Everyone must talk to devise resolutions. I will not bully the private operators," he said.

Telecom operators want to see their concessions amended to set them free from state regulations and the burden of high concession fees, and then they will adopt the regulations of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in full.

They also want the new government to support their plan to invest in new technologies, especially third-generation broadband wireless technology.

Asked if he would replace board directors at TOT and CAT Telecom, Man said the directors could inform him if they wanted to stay or to leave.

A source at CAT Telecom said board chairman Montree Sungkasap resigned his post yesterday.

TOT yesterday asked the new minister to tackle the conflict between CAT Telecom and TOT regarding interconnection and access charges.

CAT Telecom wants to stop paying access charges to TOT, in order to cut business costs and comply with the NTC interconnection regulations instead.

TOT has earned Bt14 billion per year from access charges, a cost that CAT Telecom and all of its private telecom operators have paid to TOT for connecting to different networks via TOT's facilities.

Usanee Mongkolporn

 The Nation