Nod to state-unit strategy under Thailand 4.0

It also tasked the state enterprises with using the strategies as guidelines when developing their plans.
The strategies were devised by the commission, the National Economic and Social Development Board and the ministries overseeing the state enterprises.
Under the strategies, state enterprises will have to define a clearer role for themselves and separate their roles as regulators and service providers. They must also accelerate investment plans and promote resource-sharing as part of efforts to improve their financial strength. 
They will have to make greater use of ICT information technology to enhance public services and cut costs. Good governance must be promoted.
The country’s Superboard also acknowledged the progress of seven financially ailing state enterprises in improving their performance. 
They are TOT, CAT Telecom, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank, Islamic Bank of Thailand, Thai Airways International, Bangkok Mass Transit Authority and the State Railway of Thailand.
The Superboard acknowledged the restructuring plan of TOT and CAT Telecom, which will merge their Internet data-centre businesses and international Internet gateway businesses into Neutral Gateway & Data Centre Co and their broadband Internet businesses into National Broadband Network Co.
The Superboard assigned the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to review these merger plans and propose them next month to the Superboard’s committee scrutinising the plans to tackle the problems at these state enterprises.
A CAT source said each state enterprise would hire consultants to conduct the study on the second phase of their merger plans, which would focus on the asset evaluation of the merged businesses, their structure and due diligence. 
The merged companies will get off the ground this year.
The existing consultants of both state enterprises have already completed studies on the first phase of the merger plans.
The Superboard also acknowledged the progress of SME Development Bank in improving its performance and meeting several of the Superboard’s targets. 
For this year, the Superboard ordered the bank to provide more loan packages worth up to Bt15 million and keep its non-performing loans at no more than Bt16.6 billion.
It also asked the Transport Ministry to consider again in detail the SRT’s proposal to operate the Red Line mass transit route on its own.