Approval for imported cellphones to be eased

National Telecommunica-tions Commission secretary-general Suranan Wongvithaya-kamjorn yesterday said the move followed a recent request by the leading handset manufacturer, Nokia.

He added that the NTC would announce new regulations to allow mobile-phone makers to put the NTC's import approval label on imported models by themselves after the commission gives the nod.

Currently whenever handset makers import new models, they have to send samples to be examined and approved for import by the NTC. After that, they have to send all imported models for the NTC to apply import approval labels. Makers regard the labelling process as taking too much time.

A source at one mobile-phone maker said all makers had made similar requests to the NTC.

Handset retailers estimate there will be 8 million to 9 million mobile-phone sales in Thailand this year.