CAT expects more revenue from linking calls through thailand

CAT executive vice president Peerasak Arunsakul yesterday said the link would enable call traffic from the two nations to connect to other countries through Thailand. Earlier the state agency provided links to Burma, Laos and Cambodia.

CAT expects overseas call revenue to drop to Bt7 billion this year from Bt9 billion last year, following market liberalisation by the National Telecommunications Commission.

Of international call service revenue expected this year, Bt3.3 billion has already been achieved in the first half. The 001 service accounts for 60 per cent of total overseas call revenue, while offering international call links on a wholesale basis contributes the rest.

The licensing body has granted many licences to private telecom operators, including AIN Global Com and DTAC Network, subsidiaries of Advanced Info Service (AIS) and Total Access Communication (DTAC) respectively, to offer overseas call services, which both have mainly provided to their own subscribers.

AIS and DTAC have more than 24 million and 18 million mobile-phone service subscribers, respectively.

In a separate matter, CAT aims to help solve Thailand's water crisis with an initial donation of Bt10 million to the Chaipattana Foundation as part of its corporate social responsibility policy.

In addition, every time people use CAT's 001 overseas call service, a donation of 81 satang per minute called will be made to the foundation, without any extra expense to customers. The donation will contribute to funding the foundation's project to help solve the country's water problems.

The 001 service records about 10 million minutes of calls per month.

Marut Buranasetkul, CAT senior executive vice president, said the move was aimed at raising public awareness of the prevailing water crisis.