NTC probe sought
Protesters hold a banner outside the Constitution Court yesterday asking the court not to ‘allow Thaksin more time’.
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The Confederation of Consumer Organisations of Thailand and its allies will submit their request to the national telecom regulator today to examine the deal concerning the sale of Shin Corp Plc’s shares to Singapore’s Temasek Holdings.
The confederation’s manager, Sairung Thongplon, said yesterday that by international practice the sale of shares in telecom businesses, which are national assets, must be scrutinised and approved first by the independent telecom regulator. She added that as the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has yet to look into the matter, the confederation would ask it to examine the case and suspend the deal until the probe is completed. It will also ask the NTC to examine the possible effect of the deal on the national interest, she said. The confederation would also ask Shin to submit details of the deal to the NTC. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s family and the Damapong family disposed of their combined 49.6 per cent controlling share in Shin to Temasek and its local allies on January 23. The deal was worth Bt73.3 billion. Shin businesses include the cellular service operator, a free TV operator and the satellite operator. NTC chairman Choochart Promphrasid said the licensing body had already ordered the office to examine the case after the deal took place. He declined to comment on the confederation’s request, pending his study of the details.
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