Digital transformation, broadband holding co, national satellite among key ICT goals: Pornchai

The ICT Ministry also intends to clear up all telecom concession disputes by the end of the year.
It has a Bt3.755-billion budget for administration and developing its ICT projects during the transitional period this year before it becomes the Digital for Economy and Society Ministry, ICT Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa said during a press conference on the six-month performance of his ministry.
Regarding the formation of National Broadband Holding Co, the national broadband committee on Thursday concluded that it would hurry to seek an international adviser on establishing the entity early next year. The holding company will oversee the country’s broadband policy, aiming to prevent redundant investment in broadband networks by private and state agencies and promote their network-sharing.
Four foreign firms – from France, the US and the Middle East – have submitted proposals to the committee to be its adviser, and the government is expected to finalise the selection process within a month, said Pornchai.
He added that all state agencies and private telecom companies had agreed to join the national broadband company, including TOT, CAT Telecom, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the Provincial Electricity Authority, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, Advanced Info Service, Total Access Communication, and True Corp.
National Broadband Holding Co will also incorporate Telecom Tower Co and Fibre Optic Co, which TOT and CAT will form after settling the legal battle over ownership of networks under their concessions with the private concession holders. National Broadband Co will provide a broadband Internet network with a connection speed of 30 megabits per second to all villages around the country by the end of 2017, he said.
Pornchai also reported that the ICT Ministry and the Science and Technology Ministry would cooperate to develop a national satellite plan, with the target being to build a national satellite within 10 years.
In a related matter, he said the ministry would collect an annual fee from any satellite operator that requested the ministry seek an orbital slot for them. The fee would be charged at 1 per cent of the operator’s revenue.
He also reported what the ministry had achieved in the six months through to the end of last month in preparing Thailand to adopt a digital economy.
One achievement is the development of new digital economy draft laws and revisions of related laws, in order to promote the digital economy.
The ministry’s draft law for restructuring the ICT state agencies has already been examined by the Council of State, he said, adding that it would see the ICT Ministry transformed into the Digital for Economy and Society Ministry.
The draft law aggregating three draft laws – for digital for economy and society, promoting the digital economy, and creating a digital economy fund – is currently being examined by the Council of State, and is expected to be finalised next month.
During its first six months under the current government, the ministry also set up a national broadband policy working panel, a data centre working panel, a panel promoting e-commerce and digital content, a lifelong-learning panel, and a digital economy law follow-up panel.
A committee to work with other state agencies in preventing computer crime was also established, the minister reported.
The ICT Ministry will propose the draft law for restructuring the ICT state agencies to the Cabinet next Tuesday, and the National Legislation Assembly is expected to consider the bill in June.