Telecom tie-ups hardly seem fair and in public interest

Fine! But that comes from a True that has got, yes, an unfair 3G head-start on competitors through a, yes again, unfair deal from the closet with CAT! Sorry, True, you are not true!

In democratic countries, public bidding is supposed to take care of people’s interests and secure people the best service they can get, both economically and technology-wise. Sorry True, only free and open bidding is “fair” when dealing with state bodies!

So, if you now think True has learned a lesson about fairness after having legal issues hovering over their heads for months – think again! Now they want to continue their unfair actions by asking for auction regulations – by allowing only 15 mega-hertz bandwidth to each bidder. Not because True wants the best 3G for consumers, but because they now have started sweating and fearing for their position in the future 3G market. Considering the pending legal issues and the economy, they fear they may be outbid.

The whole clue with a free and open auction is to bring transparency and fairness in a deal between the Thai state/ Thai people and private companies for the best for Thailand. A free and open auction is supposed to bring bandwidth to telecom companies that have the economic and technological muscle to win the bids and build a 3G network as soon as possible, and with the most modern and best technology. What True wants is to get rid of AIS and DTAC after each of them have got their limited 15MH bandwidth and then grab the remaining 15MH bandwidth cheap, with only weaker players left, if any at all. Super smart? Clever? Fair? Not at all.

The telecom business in developing countries and Eastern Europe has been and is entangled in bribery, corruption and even murder. Telecom is a hot spot for corruption because of all the money involved, combined with all kinds of state regulations and regulators. I hope the decision-makers involved in the auction are alert and awake and go for honesty – a free and open bidding, not an adapted form that only benefits True and not the Thai people. Thailand has had enough of telecom unfairness under Thaksin that never has been made up for. The CAT/TRUE 3G deal is also not solved, but under scrutiny and finally, what about the 3G deal between the Thai state enterprise TOT and AIS – also an unfair deal without open public bidding. Total silence around that deal, why?

A Johnsen

St Petersburg, FLorida