The ministry will also submit the project to the Cabinet for approval this month.
Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong said the government had decided to revamp the project because of delays in execution.
The procurement method used by the ministry, which was earlier responsible for laying down Internet broadband connectivity for 24,700 villages, had led to delays in implementation.
The ministry will now transfer the Bt15-billion budget to TOT and assign the state agency to lay down the necessary infrastructure.
The Digital Economy and Society Committee will monitor the project to ensure TOT is able to implement it on time.
The ministry expects TOT to kick off the project on December 31. Around 80-85 per cent of villages nationwide are expected to have Internet broadband access by the end of 2017 and the rest by 2018.
Prajin said the government was confident the National Internet Broadband project would be successful and be able to provide universal access nationwide.
He added that the government had been directed to set up an Internet broadband network for all 75,000 villages nationwide. Already, 34,568 villages have broadband connectivity.
Of the 40,432 villages awaiting broadband connectivity, the ministry will take responsibility for 24,700. The National Broadcasting and Telecom-munications Commission will take care of the remaining 15,732 villages using the Bt20-billion budget of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) fund.
By the end of this year, the NBTC will establish broadband coverage for 3,920 villages.
Prajin added that the National Internet Broadband for Villages project was one of the government’s information-technology initiatives to drive its “Thailand 4.0” policy. Software and solutions will also be key areas in the sector to usher in a digital era for the country.