Under the deposed government of Thaksin Shinawatra (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. 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 announced plans to merge TOT with rival state telecom enterprise CAT Telecom (formerly the Communications Authority of Thailand).[3]
The junta also appointed junta Assistant Secretary-General General Saprang Kalayanamitr 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 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.[4]
In December 2009, TOT became Thailand’s first 3G mobile phone service provider launching 3G mobile phone service (Phase 1) via the brand TOT3G, by enhancing 584 base stations in Bangkok and its vicinity to accommodate 500,000 numbers for the service and with a goal of nationwide coverage within the end of 2011.
TOT3G is also a host network operator who hosts Mobile virtual network operator (MVNOs).
Currently, TOT3G has four MVNOs on its network:[5]
i-mobile 3GX
365 3G - All service migrated to TOT3G As of 10 October 2013[6]
IEC3G - Renamed to Tron IEC3G As of 25 March 2014[7]
mojo3G
i-kool Real 3G
In August 2014, TOT was ordered by the State Enterprise Policy Commission,[8] to submit a proposal that would wind down non-core businesses, allowing it to reduce costs. Known in Thailand as the “Superboard”, the Commission was established by Thailand’s National Council for Peace and Order and tasked with assessing the operations of state enterprises. TOT restructuring plan includes, splitting into six subsidiary operations that would then partner with private firms.
TOT plans to streamline its business into the following six key areas:
Telecoms infrastructure,
Towers,
Broadband,
Mobile wholesale,
ICT & Cloud, and;
International gateway/submarine cable.
TOT announced its intention to upgrade its business, through Public–private partnership (PPP) and commercial agreements with third party companies. Among the companies who have expressed their interest in a partnership with TOT are;
Advanced Info Service (AIS)
One Development [9]
Softbank (Softbank Corp)
Loxley Pcl. [10]
MobileLTE [11]
TOT has picked Deloitte as consultant to analyze the partner proposals.