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Tag: Thaicom

  • THAICOM-9A Secures 50.5°E Slot

    THAICOM-9A Secures 50.5°E Slot

    The satellite arrived at its designated slot on November 22, 2024, just days before Thailand’s rights to the orbital slot were set to expire on November 27.

    The relocation forms a crucial part of Thaicom’s mission to safeguard Thailand’s claim to the orbital position. TC Space Connect Company Limited (TCSC), a Thaicom subsidiary, secured a 20-year license for the slot through the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission’s (NBTC) selection process. The move underscores efforts to preserve Thailand’s orbital rights while enabling long-term satellite operations.

    Faced with time constraints that make building a new satellite unfeasible—an average process of over three years—Thaicom has collaborated with an international partner to reposition an existing in-orbit communication satellite to the 50.5 degrees east orbital slot.

    Patompob (Nile) Suwansiri, Chief Executive Officer of Thaicom, noted that this achievement would enhance Thailand’s competitive standing, open new market opportunities for Thaicom, and support the growth of the country’s space industry.

    The satellite, now named THAICOM-9A, is set to begin operations in the first quarter of 2025.

    The satellite’s service coverage spans Europe and Asia, including Thailand. Thaicom’s initial focus will be on providing satellite services to Thailand and select Asian markets, with plans to explore business opportunities in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East in the near future.

  • Thaicom to offer 5G satellite backhaul

    Thaicom to offer 5G satellite backhaul

    Thai satellite operator Thaicom aims to carve out a new revenue stream by offering satellite backhaul capacity to the nation’s operators for their upcoming 5G networks.

    Thaicom chief commercial officer Patompob Suwansiri said that satellite will be critical to the future of 5G networks.

    According to the executive, Thaicom is currently working with operator AIS, an affiliate of its parent company InTouch Holdings, to prepare for the transition. The company already provides transponder capacity for backhaul for AIS, as well as TrueMove and operators in several other Asian nations.

    The company is looking to replace the revenue that will be lost as a result of the exit of seven Thai digital TV channels in August.

    Thaicom’s concession to operate three of its five satellites will also expire in 2021, but the company is planning to bid to obtain the operating rights to the satellite under a public-private partnership model for after the rights expire.

    While satellite will not be able to deliver the low latencies expected for 5G networks, Patompob said around 80% of data traffic usage in the 5G era will be from applications that do not require low latency and will, therefore, be suited to satellite backhaul.

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  • Anant Kaewruamvongs to take helm at Thaicom

    Anant Kaewruamvongs to take helm at Thaicom

    Asian satellite operator Thaicom Public Company Limited (Thaicom) has appointed Anant Kaewruamvongs as chief executive officer and director of the board, effective May 1.

    Anant takes over from Paiboon Panuwattanawong, who resigns from his positions as director, member of the executive committee and CEO, after severing Thaicom for over 25 years.

    Commenting on the appointment, Thaicom chairman Prasert Bunsumpun said [PDF] Anant “is the right person to lead and move Thaicom forward.”

    “The Thaicom board of directors and I welcome Anant Kaewruamvongs as new CEO. We believe his extensive experience makes him the ideal candidate to lead the company as we navigate through the next stage of growth and diversification of our business,” said Prasert, who took over as chairman at Thaicom in March.

    He said Paiboon’s contributions and dedication to Thaicom and the Thai satellite industry have been “immeasurable”.

    “We would like to thank Mr. Paiboon for taking on the challenge as CEO and for steering the company to new horizons. He and his leadership team have successfully embarked on a difficult restructuring process of our business and organization during difficult times for the satellite industry and Thaicom,” Prasert said.

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  • Underserved Indonesian Areas to be Connected via Thaicom and Axiata Partners

    Underserved Indonesian Areas to be Connected via Thaicom and Axiata Partners

    The partners inked the deal for Axiata Business Services to purchase the remaining capacity on IPSTAR over Indonesia to deliver Axiata’s operating company, PT XL Axiata Tbk (“XL”), more than 1 Gbps High Throughput Satellite (HTS) capacity for the provision of broadband services in Indonesia. According to the terms of the agreement, Axiata Business Services will use capacity of up to seven Ku-band shaped and spot beams on the IPSTAR-1 broadband satellite located at 119.5°E for the provision of broadband services in Indonesia, including broadband access direct to residential and enterprise premises, and cellular network backhaul.

    The IPSTAR-1 satellite was launched in 2005 and was the first HTS ever launched into orbit. IPSTAR cellular backhaul and direct to premise broadband connectivity provides telecom operators with the ability to expand their networks, launch new broadband services and reach underserved areas quickly and cost-effectively.

    Asri Hassan Sabri, Group Chief Business Operations Officer of Axiata, reported that his company is leveraging on Thaicom’s capabilities in Asia to grow their enterprise business quickly and flexibly, all the while providing reliable broadband services to all potential customers, regardless of their location. Where terrestrial-based connectivity is limited or unavailable, HTS connectivity serves as an enabler to unlock the digital ecosystem for new market opportunities. As the world’s first ever HTS, launched in 2005, Thaicom’s IPSTAR helps us to connect users in remote and underserved areas of Indonesia cost-effectively.

    Dian Siswarini, Chief Executive Officer of XL, added that as the biggest archipelago in the world, there are many areas and islands in Indonesia that have not been served by Internet services as of yet.The availability of HTS will help to cover these unserved areas with considerable economic potential. On top of that, the company will be able to support the local community’s economic growth and Indonesian government’s vision to accelerate the national development of digital economy across Indonesia.

    Dominic P Arena, Group Chief Strategy Officer of Axiata, indicated that this HTS partnership is highly strategic for Axiata and the beginning of what all believe can become a core future broadband delivery platform for the operating companies to deliver broadband connectivity, media and entertainment, IoT and other digital services to enterprise and consumer home segments. More importantly, this partnership allows the firm to provide the best connectivity option and reach to underserved communities, in line with Axiata’s broader goal of advancing Asia by piecing together the best in innovation, connectivity and talent.

  • Axiata taps Thaicom satellite to connect remote areas of Indonesia

    Axiata taps Thaicom satellite to connect remote areas of Indonesia

    The deal allows Axiata Business Services to purchase the remaining capacity on the IPSTAR-1 broadband satellite so that its operating company, PT XL Axiata Tbk (XL), can deliver more than one gigabit per second of High Throughput Satellite (HTS) capacity for broadband services in Indonesia.

    Axiata Business Services will use up to seven Ku-band shaped and spot beams on IPSTAR-1 located at 119.5 degree east to provide services including broadband access directly to residential and enterprise premises.

    “We are leveraging Thaicom’s capabilities in Asia to grow our enterprise business quickly and flexibly while providing reliable broadband services to all potential customers, regardless of location,” said Axiata group chief business operations officer Asri Hassan Sabri.

    “Where terrestrial-based connectivity is limited or unavailable, HTS connectivity serves as an enabler to unlock the digital ecosystem for new market opportunities,” he said. “As the world’s first-ever HTS, launched in 2005, Thaicom’s IPSTAR helps us connect users in remote and underserved areas of Indonesia cost-effectively. We are confident that the partnership will enable us to continue to grow our business faster without infrastructure limitations.”

    XL chief executive Dian Siswarini noted that many areas and islands in Indonesia are still without Internet access.

    “We believe the availability of HTS will help us to cover these unserved areas with considerable economic potential. On top of that, it will enable us to support the local community’s economic growth and the Indonesian government’s vision to accelerate the national development of digital economy across Indonesia.”

    Thaicom chief commercial officer Patompob Suwansiri thanked Axiata for its “trust” in inking the deal.

    “We are committed to working with leading mobile-network operators throughout Asia-Pacific to facilitate the growth of wireless broadband and other digital services in remote and underserved areas.”

  • Thailand aims to rethink Thaicom concession

    Thailand aims to rethink Thaicom concession

    Thailand’s ICT ministry plans to renegotiate the terms of Thaicom’s satellite concession, in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling against the amendment allowing Shin Corp to reduce its minimum holding in the company.

    The court recently found former ICT Minister Surapong Suebwonglee guilty of criminal malfeasance over the agreement to amend the terms of the concession, and sent him to jail for a year.

    Shin Corp was allowed to reduce its stake in what is now Thaicom to 40% from 51%, which the court found was against telecoms law. The court held that the move unfairly boosted Thaicom’s competitiveness and put the business at risk of foreign dominance.

    As a result of the ruling the ministry plans to device a new investment model for the satellite industry to replace the licensing regime.

    The government is considering four investment options – turning Thaicom into a state enterprise, a public-private joint venture majority owned by the state, a more flexible public-private joint venture model or the existing licensing model with higher fees.

    Negotiations with Thaicom are expected to be complete by early next year. The current concession, which involves fees amounting to 20.5% of revenue, is due to expire in 2021.

    Thaicom operates three of its satellites under the concession regime, while two more are operated under an NBTC licensing system involving a license fee of 5.75% of total revenue.

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  • Former Thai ICT minister spends first night in jail

    Former Thai ICT minister spends first night in jail

    Former ICT Minister Doctor Surapong Suebwonglee is spending the night in jail after being found guilty of criminal malfeasance regarding an amendment to the Thaicom / Shin Satellite contract.

    The case, brought by the counter corruption commission, accused Surapong and former ICT Ministry Permanent Secretary Kraisorn Pornsutee and former Space Administration Bureau director Chaiyan Pungkiatpairoj (himself later permanent secretary) of illegally amending the concession to allow Shin Corporation to lower its shareholding of Shin Satellite from not less than 51% to not less than 40%.

    This materially changed the requisites in the concession contract as it would lessen the risk Shin Corporation had in Shin Satellite, and it could, though unlikely, open the way for the 60% of shareholders to get together to outvote concession holder Shin Corporation.

    Such a material change would have needed cabinet approval.

    The courts noted that while Surapong did submit evidence that he had asked the Thaksin Shinawatra cabinet for approval; and evidence that the attorney-general said he had the power to go ahead with the amendment whilst the cabinet approval was pending, Surapong had omitted one important detail.

    The former ICT Minister withheld information from the attorney-general that the cabinet secretariat had refused to table the amendment as it would have been a conflict of interest.

    Thaksin Shinawatra’s family and associates (driver, cook, and maid) still held a controlling stake in the company that bore his name at that time.

    Doctor Surapong was given a one year jail sentence beginning immediately and was led away to jail immediately after the verdict was delivered. The two others were given one year jail sentences, suspended for five years.

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