TOT (Thailand)
Encyclopedia
Telephony
In telecommunications, telephony encompasses the general use of equipment to provide communication over distances, specifically by connecting telephones to each other....
, although it has several other businesses, including mobile telephony
Mobile telephony
Mobile telephony is the provision of telephone services to phones which may move around freely rather than stay fixed in one location. Mobile phones connect to a terrestrial cellular network of base stations , whereas satellite phones connect to orbiting satellites...
. Its current Chairman of the Board of Directors is Panthep Jamradroamrun.
Early history
First use of the telephone in Thailand began during the reign of King V in 1881 with a telephone line constructed between the capital BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, and the Thai city of Samut Prakan, located a short distance south of Bangkok along the Chao Phraya river.
The Telephone Organization of Thailand was founded by the Thai government in 24 February 1954. A state enterprise under the Ministry of Transport and Communications, it incorporated the Telephone Technician Unit under The Post and Telegraph Department. It originally had 732 staff members and a budget of 50 million Baht. The TOT provided telephone services in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
Metropolis, which included Wat Lieb, Bangrak, Ploenchit and Samsaen Exchanges.
And now TOT represented "Telecom of Thailand" to become National Telecommunication Company still hold 100% by Ministry of finance and controlled by Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.
TOT luanched TOT3G as a mobile business unit under unbrella brand.
TOT3G is the first and only one mobile 3G operator in Thailand (officially) since 2009.
In this phase TOT3G served in Bangkok and venicities in full range of 3G services and will has coverage
nationwide within the end of the year 2011.
TOT3G is a network provider who welcome to all investors to become Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO)
Currently TOT3G has 5 MVNOs i-Mobile 3GX, i-Kool, MOJO3G, IEC3G and 365.
Corporate status change and the aftermath of the 2006 coup
Under the deposed government of Thaksin ShinawatraThaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
(2001–2006), the TOT was made into a corporation and plans were under way to privatise a portion of the state enterprise through an IPO in the Stock Exchange of Thailand
Stock Exchange of Thailand
The Stock Exchange of Thailand is the national stock exchange of Thailand. It is located in Bangkok. As of 31 December 2007, the Stock Exchange of Thailand had 541 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of $280 billion. The indices of the stock exchange are SET Index, SET50 Index...
. These plans were cancelled after the Thaksin-government was overthrown by a coup in 19 September 2006. Soon after the coup, the junta of General Surayud Chulanont
Surayud Chulanont
General Surayud Chulanont is a Thai political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and head of Thailand's Interim Government between 2006 and 2008...
announced plans to merge TOT with rival state telecom enterprise CAT Telecom
CAT Telecom
CAT Telecom Public Company Limited is the state-owned company that runs Thailand’s international telecommunications infrastructure, including its international gateways, satellite, and submarine cable networks connections. As of February 2008, it had 5,562 employees.-Services:Until recently, CAT...
(formerly the Communications Authority of Thailand).
The junta also appointed junta Assistant Secretary-General General Saprang Kalayanamitr
Saprang Kalayanamitr
General Saprang Kalayanamitr is a retired officer of the Royal Thai Army, Assistant Secretary-General of the Council for National Security, Commander of the junta's 14,000-man anti-protest force, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Airports of Thailand , and also Chairman of the Boards of TOT...
to become the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of TOT. General Saprang's first move as TOT Chairman was to hand-pick three Army colonels and controversial Thaksin-critic Vuthiphong Priebjrivat to sit on the state enterprise's Board of Directors.
The junta also cancelled the Thaksin government's telecom excise tax policy. The Thaksin government imposed an excise tax on privately offered fixed and cellular services, and then allowed telecom companies to deduct the amount they paid in excise tax from concession
Concession (contract)
A concession is a business operated under a contract or license associated with a degree of exclusivity in business within a certain geographical area. For example, sports arenas or public parks may have concession stands. Many department stores contain numerous concessions operated by other...
fees they had to pay to state concession owners TOT and CAT Telecom. The total amount paid by the private telecom firms did not change. The Surayud government's excise tax cancellation meant that TOT and CAT Telecom would receive their full concession payments. However, TOT and CAT were then forced to increase their dividends to the Ministry of Finance to account for their increased income.