NBTC deputy secretary-general of broadcasting Phoomsisth Mahavessiri said on Monday that Thailand's telecommunications had become more complicated amid the transition towards a digital economy.
"Many organisations have improved their structure to meet with the digital era," he said. "Meanwhile, consumers have changed their behaviour amid changes in telecommunications."
He said the NBTC has implemented a strategy to supervise three groups of OTT streaming operators:
— Operators of websites or applications for use in daily life, such as Lazada, Uber, Airbnb, Dropbox and Google Maps.
— Operators of interpersonal communication platforms, covering social media (Facebook and Instagram) and instant messaging (Line, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp).
"The emergence of OTT streaming operators has resulted in cost burden for internet network operators," he said, adding that the business caused difficulties in tax collection as well.
— Operators of television and video streaming platforms on the internet, such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and Line TV.
Phoomsisth added that people are now able to access internet via various channels, such as smartphone, desktop, laptop and tablet, citing the National Statistical Office's data.
He said the value of OTT streaming in Thailand has continued to increase since 2019 and it is expected to hit $877 million (30.53 billion baht) in the next three years.
"Meanwhile, the number of OTT streaming users is expected to hit 2.1 million people next year," he added.
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