The second entails the government potentially amending the existing procurement rules in order to end the current restrictions.
However, the government rejected CAT's proposals and decided to scrap the project instead.
In March, the government approved the allocation of 20 billion baht from its fiscal budget to the ICT Ministry to construct hard infrastructure under the digital economy policy.
Of the total, 15 billion baht is slated to be invested in broadband internet networks for 39,000 villages nationwide. The remaining 5 billion is for the construction of submarine cables.
Mr Surapan said additional submarine cable routes could reduce IP transit costs to internet service providers in order to lower the cost of internet services.