The government yesterday promised to fast-track a law through Parliament setting up a new regulator to proceed with the much-awaited 3G auction if today's appeal against an injunction blocking the bidding is dismissed.
"If the bill establishing the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is promulgated in time in this House session, the selection of its members could begin by year-end, or early next year at the latest," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said.
"The NBTC will then proceed with the 3G auction immediately if the appeal against the court ruling - that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has no authority to handle the 3G bidding - is declined today," he said during his weekly television show.
The government wanted everything to go ahead according to the law and the Constitution, however it needed the 3G issue to be settled soon.
Atthawit Suwannaphakdee, the Democrat Party deputy spokesman and a whip, said 12 items were on the legislative agenda to be discussed ahead of the NBTC bill. It would be too late for it to be passed if it were not brought to the head of the agenda.
Abhisit said he had consulted with government whips about advancing the 3G issue to the top of the agenda for the current session, which adjourns on December 1.
SUPPLIERS IN DISSARAY
A telecom industry source said 14 equipment suppliers were left in limbo, not knowing how to carry on with their business plans amid the uncertain prospects for the 3G auction.
The source said each major supplier had dispatched more than 100 staff to Thailand along with proposals to present to the winners as soon as the bid results were announced, which was expected this month, according to the original schedule set by the NTC.
The Supreme Administrative Court will rule today if the NTC can continue with the bidding, originally scheduled to start today, following the legal challenge to the regulator's authority to award the licences.
Major vendors like Nokia Siemens Networks, Ericsson, Huawei Technologies and ZTE are reportedly optimistic about selling their technology and equipment to the bid winners. Investment in infrastructure is expected to reach more than Bt100 billion over three years.
"The suppliers are now in confusion. Sending staff here involves huge expenses. And now, they don't know how to proceed. All the proposals must be put on hold," the source said.
NTC member Natee Sukonrat said via Twitter that the NTC chose to start the 3G bidding on September 20, the birthday of King Rama V, honoured as the father of Thailand's communications 157 years ago. Also during his reign, all slaves were freed.
"The NTC hopes that the 3G bidding will catapult Thailand in the same way. Personally, I believe converting the concession system into a licensing system will end the monopoly and pave the way for liberalisation," he said.
Still, he urged all to show confidence in the judicial system. The NTC would strictly follow the court's order.
Last week, the Central Administrative Court issued an injunction against the NTC's plan to auction the 3G licences today following a petition by CAT Telecom calling into question the NTC's licensing authority. This prompted the NTC to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court to ask for the injunction to be lifted.
CAT had argued that under the Constitution of 2007, such licensing must be performed by the NBTC.