THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

NBTC to collect BT21.6BN from licence payments for state coffers

NBTC to collect BT21.6BN from licence payments for state coffers

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will hand over to state coffers Bt21.608 billion from the upcoming second instalment payments that follow the awarding of 1800MHz licences.

Advanced Wireless Network (AWN) will pay the second instalment of the total payment of Bt10.963 billion on December 11, while TrueMove H Universal Communication will pay the second instalment of Bt10.644 billion on December 19. Both payments include VAT.
The final instalments , for the remaining 25 per cent of the total amount, will be paid in December next year.
TrueMove H won the 1800MHz licence by proposing Bt39.792 billion, while AWN proposed Bt40.986 billion. They are making the payment in three instalments, with an initial 50 per cent, followed by two payments of 25 per cent. Both operators paid the combined first instalment of Bt43.216 billion (including VAT) in 2015.

DIGITAL PLATFORM PANEL

The Digital Economy and Society Ministry and the Finance Ministry this week reached an agreement to set up a joint working panel to develop the central digital platform - or the Digital Identity Platform - for those who want to start doing business to come forward.
The panel will be made up of representatives from the Bank of Thailand, the Stock Exchange of Thailand, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Interior Ministry, the Thai Bankers Association, the Bureau of Registration Administration, and the Department of Business Development. 
The platform is expected to be released in a pilot version next year before being put to use in the middle of next year.

DEBTS RECLASSIFIED

The Ministry of Finance said about Bt7 billion worth of informal debts have been reclassified as formal debts through the loan extension schemes of Government Savings Bank (GSB), Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) and pico finance operators.
Pico-finance is similar to the better-known microfinance system but provides smaller loans needed primarily by households and individuals.
Pornchai Thiraveja, spokesman for Fiscal Policy Office, said that informal debtors, as of September, have gained access to financing sources through these two banks and pico finance operators.
Through emergency loans, both GSB and BAAC extended Bt6.79 billion or 67.92 per cent of Bt10 billion emergency loan approved by the Cabinet, to 150,000 informal debtors since March this year..
As of this August, accumulated pico-finance loans totalled Bt58.58 million for 1,850 accounts or Bt31,000 per account. Of the total, 65 accounts contained loans overdue no more than three months worth Bt2.27 million or 4.12 per cent of total outstanding pico finance loans.
 

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