Another 3G controversy emerges

Another controversy concerning the 3G auction could emerge, as the Finance Ministry and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) apparently apply different methods to interpret the Bt22.3 billion proceeds from the 2.1GHz spectrum auction.

Supa Piyajitti, a deputy permanent secretary for finance, has signed a letter to the NBTC on behalf of permanent secretary Areepong Bhoocha-oom, instructing the telecom regulator to retrieve the proceeds. In the letter, she said NBTC has to retrieve the proceeds within 15 days, on ground that court cases are still under the Supreme Administrative Court’s consideration.

The proceeds were delivered to the ministry on December 13, 2012.

Meanwhile, NBTC Secretary General Takorn Tantasit said that the commission would send a reply to the ministry within a day or two, vowing not to retrieve the amount as it is now considered parts of government proceeds. He said that the NBTC has followed the Frequency Allocation Act and the law governing the commission in launching the auction and as the Finance Ministry received the fund, the repatriation process is considered complete.