Abhisit calls for fair play for Thais in 3G auction

       Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is insisting the telecoms regulator must ensure fair play for Thai bidders in any auction of 3G licences.
       Consumers must not shoulder the burden of expensive services, he said.
       The prime minister yesterday said the economics ministers would meet today to discuss the direction of Thailand's third-generation (3G) mobile phone services.
       Moves by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to auction 3G licences face strong opposition from labour unions at the two state telecoms enterprises, TOT Corporation and CAT Telecom. Consumer protection groupshave also raised concerns over the bid.
       Mr Abhisit said the NTC needed to address two key points concerning the auction of 3G licences.
       The regulator needed to clarify and differentiate the roles of TOT and CAT Telecom, which both provide telecoms services and own concessions for existing mobile phone operations, he said.
       The introduction of 3G in Thailand should not bring about inequality in the industry, Mr Abhisit said.
       The prime minister also said the NTC must allay fears the high cost of 3G licences would be passed on to consumers.
       The auction's terms and conditions must be fair to Thai operators and not favour foreign investors, he said.
       Advanced Info Service (AIS), formerly owned by Thaksin Shinawatra and now part of Singapore-based Temasek Holdings, is among the government's prime concerns, an industry source said.
       Critics say a high minimum bid price for the 3G licences would limit the chances of Thai operators with low capital.
       The NTC has set the minimum reserve prices for 3G licences at US$100 to $200 million (3.3 billion to 6.6 billion baht).
       The NTC wants to call bids in midDecember and hopes to award four 3G licences by the end of this year.
       TOT and CAT labour union members yesterday submitted a petition to senators Somchai Sawaengkarn and Senator Prasarn Marukpitak asking them to seek a Constitution Court ruling on the legality of the NTC's proposed auction.
       Consumer advocates, led by the Foundation for Consumers, urged the government and the NTC to ensure the 3G service benefitted consumers.
       "We call on the NTC to set ceilings on prices that companies will be allowed to charge their customers for the 3G networks. This should be included in its auction criteria," said Saree Aongsomwang, the foundation's secretary-general.
       Firms that operate local 3G services will enjoy significant cost reductions when compared with operating normal mobile services.
       Mobile phone service providers, who are concessionaires, now contribute 50 billion baht a year to state coffers through TOT and CAT Telecom under revenuesharing agreements, Mrs Saree said.
       Information and Communications Technology (ICT) minister Ranongruk Suwunchwee wants the auction put off,saying the draft rules by the NTC deter the two state telecom enterprises and favour foreign players.