Thailand is open to Starlink under a Thai-majority ownership rule

Thailand is not seeking to block Starlink from entering the market, but the satellite internet provider would need to comply with Thai law and operate under a structure in which Thai shareholders hold a majority stake, Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob has maintained.

His comments follow Starlink’s launch of commercial services in Vietnam on August 13, 2026, following reports that the Thai government had rejected a proposal to allow Starlink to operate directly in the country with 100% foreign ownership, rather than through a company structured with 51% Thai and 49% foreign ownership.

The issue prompted comparisons between Thailand and Vietnam, particularly between Starlink’s pricing and satellite internet services provided by National Telecom Plc (NT), with Starlink presented as the cheaper option.

Chaichanok stressed that he remained opposed to allowing Starlink to conduct business in Thailand through a wholly foreign-owned structure. His preferred approach would require Thai shareholders to hold more than 50%, including a 51:49 Thai-foreign ownership model.

Under Thailand’s Foreign Business Act BE 2542 (1999), a juristic person registered in Thailand is classified as foreign where foreigners hold at least half of its capital.

Chaichanok indicated that an arrangement involving Thai business partners could be acceptable if Starlink was also prepared to transfer technology.

Starlink’s market strength raises competition and security concerns 

He pointed to Starlink’s advantages in technology, pricing, quality and production capability, arguing that these strengths would make it difficult for other operators to compete on equal terms.

Allowing the company to enter Thailand with full foreign ownership could therefore affect future opportunities for Thai businesses in the telecommunications and satellite sectors, he explained, adding that data and national security issues would also have to be considered.

The issue was also discussed at the first meeting of the National Space Policy Committee of 2026 on August 17. The meeting covered rules governing foreign satellites seeking permission to provide services in Thailand, known as landing rights, as well as draft legislation governing space activities.

The approach discussed at the meeting continued to favour Thai companies retaining more than 50% of the shares.

“If Starlink is allowed to come in with 100% ownership, I am confident that no company could compete with it. What I am trying to do is not about blocking technology or progress. If they are serious, prepared to transfer technology and work with Thai partners, we can accept that,” Chaichanok explained.

NT serves a different role from global satellite providers 

Addressing comparisons between NT and Starlink, he argued that the two operated under different objectives and circumstances. Thailand was not developing its own satellite communications infrastructure with the aim of competing directly with major global providers.

Instead, the government wanted Thailand to maintain its own satellite communications infrastructure so that it would continue to have communications capacity during emergencies or in circumstances where external providers were unable or unwilling to provide services.

“Are we comparing NT with Starlink, or asking me to compare NT with Elon Musk? They are very different. Our goal is not to build a system to compete with the world’s giant companies,” he added.