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https://www.nationthailand.com/business/corporate/40020965

NBTC adjourns meeting, delays its decision on True-DTAC merger to Oct 20

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2022

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has deferred its decision on the controversial merger of two telecom giants to next week.

Acting NBTC secretary-general Trairat Viriyasirikul said the telecom watchdog resolved during its meeting on Wednesday to postpone deliberations on the merger of True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC) to October 20.

The NBTC meeting began at 9.30am on Wednesday and was adjourned at 12.30pm.

During the meeting next week, the NBTC would deliberate only the merger deal, Trairat said.

He added that the NBTC had also instructed the NBTC Office to summarise opinions of foreign advisers of the telecom watchdog for the NBTC to consider during the meeting next Thursday.

On September 23, the NBTC had announced it would issue its decision on the True-DTAC merger on October 12 after the Council of State advised on September 20 that the NBTC has no authority to approve or reject the merger, but it could only issue regulations to mitigate its impact on the public.

The NBTC has come under much criticism from both opponents of the merger and shareholders of True and DTAC for delaying its decision.

True and DTAC formally announced their merger plans in November last year to pursue a new tech business and raise venture capital for startups, reportedly after Norway’s Telenor decided to pull out of the telecom business from Asean.

The NBTC has repeatedly delayed its decision on the merger, saying it needed time to study the pros and cons and the impact on society, as well as for the Council of State to define its authority on the issue.

Academics and the Thailand Consumer Council have called on the NBTC to reject the merger outright for fear of severe impact on consumers, while True, DTAC and their shareholders called on the NBTC to proceed with the merger so that their business plan would not be affected.

The two telcos argue that the NBTC has no authority to approve or reject the merger and at least nine mergers have take place under the 2018 NBTC Notification, which required the watchdog to only issue measures to mitigate the impact.