Thai national broadcasting and telecommunications regulator NBTC has turned to the junta for help in recalling parts of the 2.5-GHz to 2.6 GHz-spectrum for 4G and for monetary compensation for the current users.
Most of the 2.5-2.6 spectrum is currently used for broadcasting. MCOT, formerly the Mass Communications Authority of Thailand, has offered the early return of 60 MHz of spectrum for $31 million (100 million baht).
However, the spectrum MCOT has offered makes it useless for band 7 as it does not match up with paired spectrum, rendering it appropriate only for Chinese-style band 41.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasit has asked ruling military junta, the National Council for Peace and Order, to step in and help secure the release of further spectrum from the Public Relations Department and CAT Telecom so that 2x35 MHz of paired band 7 spectrum can be put up for auction.
Takorn also asked the junta for help in approving the compensation for the current spectrum holders. Under the current NBTC act, the regulator cannot pay out compensation in these circumstances.