TOT president Monchai Noosong signed an order on August 31 to set up the committee to study the issue and negotiate with AIS. The committee is chaired by TOT’s senior executive vice president Kamthon Waithayakul.

According to the plan, TOT and AIS would put 5,000 and 13,000 telecom towers respectively in the joint-venture company. AIS would hold a slightly larger stake in the JV.

In its dispute with TOT, AIS claims that these 13,000 towers belong to it and cannot be transferred to the state agency. The case is being considered by an arbitration panel.

The AIS concession contract with TOT expired last year.

Setting up the JV is also part of the AIS-TOT plan to provide 2.1-gigahertz wireless broadband service jointly on the state agency’s network.

Monthly fee

Currently AIS pays TOT Bt485 million a month to lease the agency’s telecom towers and the second-generation cellular network. TOT recently asked the Council of State’s opinion on whether its plan to partner with AIS to provide the 2.1GHz service fell under the Public Private Act.

A TOT source said the Council of State had told the agency that it could not provide an opinion in this case as TOT does not have a written contract on the partnership for its consideration.