Thaicom welcomes Cabinet decision to pursue PPP model for country’s satellite management
Satellite operator Thaicom has welcomed the Cabinet decision late last month to restructure the country’s satellite-management regime and pursue a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Thaicom chief executive officer Anant Kaewruamvongs welcomed the government’s approval of the Kingdom’s satellite management after the end of the satellite concession in 2021, thus in principle pursuing a PPP model for the Thai satellite industry moving forward, the company said in a release on Tuesday.
“We wish to engage in a constructive cooperation with the Thai government to enhance national security by joining the public-private partnership model. We are pleased to be able to contribute our extensive know-how and experience as one of Asia’s leading satellite operators to support and develop the future satellite industry of Thailand,” he added.
“We are open to discussing various forms of project collaboration to enhance public-private partnership. We look forward to a successful partnership with the government and to working together in a constructive manner for the benefit of the nation and the whole region,” the CEO said.
On the Cabinet’s approval to extend the service life of the company’s Thaicom-5 satellite, he thanked the government for its prudent decision to approve the reutilisation of the satellite.
“We will utilise space drone technology to extend the service life of Thaicom-5. We plan to extend the service life of other satellites in our fleet as well – such as Thaicom-4 [IPSTAR] – subject to public-private partnership outcome,” Anant said.
“We believe the Cabinet’s recent approval of the satellite’s life extension will boost market confidence and guarantee service continuity beyond the end of the satellite concession in 2021,” he added.
