CAT to spend Bt28 bn next year

CAT president Phisal Jorpochaudom said yesterday that the Bt3.5 billion for these two projects would be spent over three years.

He added that the CAT board had already approved the 2009-11 business plan.

Under the plan, the state agency projects revenue of Bt48 billion next year, net profit of more than Bt10 billion and corporate-tax payments totalling Bt4.3 billion.

Stripping out concession revenue, CAT's 2009 income is expected to be Bt26 billion and net profit to be Bt334 million.

CAT holds the private mobile-phone concessions of Total Access Communication (DTAC), True Move and Digital Phone Co.

Phisal said that in 2011 CAT was expected to post net profit of more than Bt11 billion. Excluding concession revenue, net profit is estimated to come in at Bt784 million.

The Hutchison-CAT Wireless Multimedia (Hutch) joint venture is expected to contribute revenue of Bt1.1 billion in 2011, he added.

CAT has revised its earnings forecast (excluding concession fees) for this year to a net loss of Bt190 million, from the previous estimate of Bt545 million in net profit. Hutch is expected to contribute Bt828 million in revenue this year.