On June 25 at Parliament, Ms. Rakchanok Srinork, Bangkok MP from the Prachachon Party, held a press conference criticizing the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) for setting extremely low starting prices for its upcoming auction of four major frequency bands scheduled for June 29. She highlighted issues with the 2,100 MHz and 2,300 MHz frequencies.
"AIS once rented the 2,100 MHz band from NT for 12 billion baht, but now the NBTC is starting the auction at only 4.5 billion. Similarly, DTAC used to pay 7.3 billion baht for the 2,300 MHz band, but it's now starting at just 2.6 billion. These prices are based on outdated valuations from ten years ago—why are we using decade-old benchmarks when the world has changed?" she questioned.
She further pointed out that after the merger of major mobile carriers, only two remain, and they don’t overlap in frequency usage. She questioned why the NBTC is setting starting prices "dirt low" and accused it of serving the interests of mobile operators.
"What is the NBTC’s relationship with telecom giants that it must protect their interests so blatantly? There is no evidence that paying less will result in better service or lower costs for consumers. People aren’t fools. When True and DTAC merged, they claimed services would improve—has that been evident? Is your mobile signal better now?" she asked.
She added that since the market no longer has real competition, prices and promotional packages have vanished, with no regulatory action from the NBTC, even during major outages.
She sarcastically suggested renaming the NBTC to reflect its role as a steward for corporate interests: “Rename it to 'Frequency Management Organization for Big Capital'—and make sure the public knows exactly which capital group is really in charge."
Rakchanok also questioned the qualifications of NBTC Chairman Dr. Saran Boonbaichaiyapruck, asserting that his disqualification is widely known and even noted in a Senate report. "Even his political allies couldn't support him, yet he still draws a salary, benefits, and makes critical decisions that affect national interests worth hundreds of billions."
She concluded by calling on Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin—who nominated the chairman—to act by submitting a royal recommendation for his dismissal. "This is your chance to do something genuinely for the people. The NBTC has become rotten, and the Prime Minister must put an end to it."