Supportive Policies Can Expedite Delivery of Socio-Economic Benefits of Mobile Broadband and Help Achieve Thailand's Digital Economy Plan
6 May 2015, Bangkok: The GSMA today issued a new report highlighting how effective government policy in Thailand could increase mobile and fixed broadband penetration to 133 per cent by 20201, up from 52 per cent in 2013. This growth would lead to a cumulative GDP increase of US $23 billion (THB 730 billion), and the increased access to mobile broadband infrastructure would generate new skilled jobs, strengthen digital inclusion and expedite the goals set out in the government's Digital Economy Plan.
Mobile broadband is a critical enabler in achieving the Government of Thailand's strong ambitions to turn the country into a digital economy and boost digital inclusion, as outlined in its Digital Economy Plan, said Tom Phillips, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA. The impact of mobile broadband access is profound, from improving productivity and driving the creation of new businesses and skilled jobs, to delivering mobile healthcare and money services and enabling smart cities. Realising the potential of mobile broadband in Thailand hinges on the release of spectrum for 4G, along with policies aimed at promoting a truly competitive, dynamic, investment-led mobile sector.
The GSMA report, Building Thailand's Digital Economy and Society , developed by Analysys Mason, highlights six key areas where appropriate policy and regulation will be required to ensure that mobile broadband develops successfully in Thailand:
Provide fair, transparent access to mobile spectrum by transitioning from a concession to a licensing regime;
Award available spectrum in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands at the earliest opportunity to expand 3G and 4G mobile services, as the swift adoption of 3G in Thailand indicates there is demand for mobile broadband;
Plan to make the globally harmonised 700MHz Digital Dividend' band available to mobile to expand coverage in urban and currently underserved rural areas;
Establish a business-friendly environment and a level playing field with state-owned companies through transparent processes and stakeholder consultation to maximise the certainty of investment in cutting-edge technologies and services;
Guarantee the independence of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission by ensuring it is structurally and functionally separate from the government and operates with a clearly defined mandate leads to greater investor confidence; and
Adopt government-led demand policies to build awareness of the Internet and strengthen digital literacy, encouraging mobile broadband usage by the Thai population.
Successful mobile applications are already offered in Thailand, which align with the goals of the Digital Economy Plan. Mobile operator DTAC's Farmer Information Superhighway has empowered 250,000 farmers through access to essential agricultural information, improving yields and profitability. Similarly, TrueMoney enables 25 million people to execute e-payment transactions and is expanding to person-to-person payment for unbanked customers. The further rollout of 4G network infrastructure in Thailand will provide a platform to significantly extend mobile operator offerings in areas such as mobile money and digital commerce, as well as the creation of new services to respond to the needs of local populations.
We encourage the members of the Digital Economy Committee to consider the mobile sector as a critical enabler for the development of a vibrant digital economy and society, continued Phillips. With so much at stake for Thailand's citizens and businesses, we cannot afford to fail.
To access the full report, please visit: http://www.gsma.com/spectrum/thailandsdigitaleconomy/
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors
1 Broadband' in this report includes both fixed and mobile broadband connections, including the use of smartphones for data, excluding basic mobile handsets and factoring in the ownership of more than one SIM card by individual consumers.
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.
Media Contacts
For the GSMA
Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 7917 298428
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com
Rungnapa Charnwiset
+66 81 494 8131
rungnapa@webershandwick.com
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
Supportive Policies Can Expedite Delivery of Socio-Economic Benefits of Mobile Broadband and Help Achieve Thailand's Digital Economy Plan
