ICT prepares solutions for Thaicom concession

       The Information and Communi-cations Technology Ministry is expected to wrap up next month ways to solve problems relating to the Thaicom concession.
       Nimit Damrongrat, adviser to the ministry, said the solutions would be presented to the minister, Ranongruk Suwanchawee, who would consult Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva before the ministry submits them for Cabinet's approval later.
       But he declined to specify the details of the solutions, just adding that they would be the best way out for both the government and Thaicom.
       He said one of the urgent problems is that the life of Thaicom 2 satellite would end next year. Thaicom had already sought the ministry's permission to lease a transponder service from a foreign satellite to provide the service to the existing customers of Thaicom 2 after Thaicom 2's life ends.
       He added that though Thaicom has a plan to build a new satellite to replace Thaicom 2 it has not provided clear details to the ministry. He is concerned that the government might lose satellite concession revenue of Bt200 million per year if there is no back-up satellite for Thaicom 2. Thaicom has paid a total concession fee of around Bt500 million per year to the ministry.
       Nimit said that according to his understanding of Thaicom's concession, the company had to build the back-up satellite to replace the one that would be discontinued or failed to provide service.
       He added that if Thaicom leases the transponder service from other satellites to provide the service, the act would make the company look like it is the service provider, not the satellite operator.
       The ministry owns Thaicom's concession. Thaicom currently owns Thaicom 1, 2, and 5 broadcasting satellites, and iPSTAR broadband satellite. The company finished migrating Thaicom 1 customers to Thaicom 5 as the life of Thaicom 1 will end late this year.
       The other problem for the Thaicom concession is the question if it has the back-up satellite for iPSTAR satellite.
       According to its concession, the back-up satellite for Thaicom 1 is Thaicom 2 and that for Thaicom 3 is Thaicom 4 or iPSTAR. But it built Thaicom 5 to replace Thaicom 3, which was disconnected in 2006, due to serious glitches.
       Earlier Thaicom argued that the concession only stated that the company has to provide back-up satellite channels for customers in case its satellites fail to provide service. It had complied with the contract by providing a back-up satellite for customers affected by the failure of Thaicom 3.
       Nimit declined to specify the solutions on this matter.