In a controversial move, Thailand’s telecom regulator has approved the merging oftwo key mobile operators in Thailand: True and DTAC. A consumer watchdogsays the five-member committee “failed to use its authority to protect the publicinterest” by turning the market into a duopoly with reining operator AIS.After an 11-hour meeting, the five-member board of the National Broadcasting andTelecommunications Commission (NBTC) voted 3:5 to “acknowledge” themerger, despite fierce opposition from consumer groups, politicians, industryexperts, and competitors.The decision will leave Thailand with only two key operators, the merger and AIS,sparking concerns that it will undermine market competition and lead to higherprices for consumers.The Thailand Consumers Council (TCC), a consumer watchdog, expects that thethe merger would raise mobile tariffs for customers by 240%.The TCC said they are preparing to file a motion with the Central AdministrativeCourt to launch an injunction and emergency investigation to stop the merger in itstracks.The NBTC approved the merger despite a Change.org petition against it gainingover 21,000 signatures. The petition was backed by politicians from the MoveForward Party.Despite fears that the merger will be bad news for consumers, the NBTC insiststhat it was approved under many conditions including price ceilings.True and DTAC say the goal of the merger is not to raise prices but to “investjointly in the country’s digital transformation.”Under conditions set by the NBTC, the new US$7.3 billion company will berequired to install a 5G network to cover 75% of Thailand’s population withinthree years and 90% within five years, said the NBTC.
Secretary-General of the TCC advised, “if the merger goes through, maybe the lawshould be reformed to open the market to foreign players.”
More shelters are to be built for homeless people in Bangkok and more jobopportunities will be made available to them, particularly for those who haverecently become homeless, to improve their quality of life and reducehomelessness, according to Deputy Bangkok Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon(ศานนท์ หวังสร้างบุญ).The deputy governor chaired a meeting of city officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations and relevant agencies yesterday (Wednesday), todiscuss homelessness in Bangkok and develop ways to find shelter and jobs forthem, so they can earn incomes and pursue a normal life.Sanon said homeless people can be divided into the chronically homeless, thenewly homeless people and those living with psychiatric problems, with the newlyhomeless constituting the largest group.If jobs can be provided to the newly homeless, he said these people will gain agreater chance of having their own shelter and pursuing a normal life.He said that the first priority, however, is to provide temporary shelters for thehomeless. One potential site for the building of another shelter is under theexpressway near Maha Phruttharam Temple, in the Bang Rak district. This would bein addition to the existing shelters, at the foot of Phra Pinklao Bridge, HuaLamphong railway station, on Ratchadamnoen Road and at Trok Sake, which isjointly operated by various non-profit foundations.The deputy governor said that homeless people also need rehabilitation and jobs,adding that certain rules have to be eased to help them find employment.Employment, he said, is a means to solve homelessness in the long run because,once they are employed and have incomes, they will have a better chance ofimproving their lives and may not become homeless again.He admitted, though, that solving the problem is an uphill task and it requirespublic participation, adding that members of the public should not view homelesspeople as a social burden, but as people who are in need of help instead.
Building in Phuket collapses due to heavy rainA two-storey building in Phuket collapsed last night due to heavy rain. Fortunately,tenants left the property a day before the incident so no injuries were reported.The demolished building, located in Soi Prayoon 2 in the Talad Yai sub-district,Mueng district, in Phuket, offers 30 rental rooms. Only eight of the rooms wererented at the time of the building’s collapse.One of the tenants revealed to Thairath that he heard creaking and cracking soundsa couple of times at about 3 pm on October 19. He woke the following morning todiscover that the ceiling was cracked and reported it to the building owner.The owner advised all tenants to vacate their rooms for their own safety yesterdaymorning. It was the right decision because the building collapsed on that day at11.30 pm.Phuket Governor, and officers from the Department of Public Works and Town &Country Planning, visited the incident scene to investigate the cause of thecollapse.Officers reported that the heavy rain caused a landslide on the mountain, whichcame crashing into the building.Officers made known that they would undertake a thorough investigation into thecollapsed building to determine whether it can be repaired or needed to bedemolished.Provincial officers found the displaced tenants some temporary accommodationuntil they find somewhere suitable to live or the building can be repaired.The heavy rain over the past month has caused multiple problems for the people ofPhuket. Phuket Police yesterday urged residents to stay at home unless they havean emergency. The police also say that Phuket dwellers should avoid going toPatong.
Officials to seek approval for late closing times in PhuketAre later closing times finally coming to Phuket?Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports plans to test a 4 am closing time onseveral tourist hotspots, including Phuket’s Bang La Walking Street in Patong,Nation Thailand reported. The ministry will soon seek approval from the ThaiCabinet for the pilot project there, Tourism and Sports Minister PhiphatRatchakitprakarn announced yesterday.Other hotspots the ministry is testing the 4 am closing time: Khao San Road andPatpong Road in Bangkok, Walking Street near Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya, Ao Nangin Krabi, Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan, and Khao Lak in Phang Nga.Phipat said that according to research by three universities, foreign tourists whovisit night venues after midnight would spend 44% more money if the closing timeis pushed to 4 am. He added that bars in certain tourist areas were already violatinglegal hours, so the project would make it legal for bars to operate.Piphat warned that if the government delays the 4 am closing time, Thailand couldlose an income opportunity, since the tourism high season is approaching.A survey carried out this year on Thailand’s tourism hotspots found that touristsspend more money between 1-3 am.
Gambling addict sergeant steals 160 guns to pay off debtsA non-commissioned police officer, attached to Pak Kret district police inNonthaburi Province is in custody on theft charges for allegedly selling orpawning more than 100 handguns, which he had allegedly stolen from the districtpolice’s store room over the past five years.The officer, Chaowalit Poomkachorn, was arrested in the north-eastern province ofNong Khai yesterday (Thursday), as he tried to flee to Laos, after anthe investigation implicated him in the disappearance of the weapons from Pak Kretpolice station’s arms storage facility.He has been flown into Bangkok and was questioned by Pol Gen SurachateHakparn, deputy national police chief.Surachate claimed that the suspect admitted to taking 2-3 guns at a time from thestore room and then making false statements to the effect that the weapons weredistributed for use by officers at the station.He also allegedly admitted that he had been doing so for the past five years andthat the handguns were either sold or pawned at pawnshops, which he named,according to the deputy police chief, adding that he has instructed police to recoverthe weapons in question.Pol Gen Surachate said that the case should serve as a lesson for chiefs of policestations, who should check their gun inventories regularly.Meanwhile, a bag, containing 27 handguns, was found in front of the police club,yesterday. The guns are initially believed to be part of the stolen haul beingreturned by their owners for fear of prosecution.
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