The Thailand Consumers Council (TCC) will ask the Administrative Court to rule against the planned merger of True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC) and consider the legality of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission’s acknowledgement of the plan.
Apart from announcing its movement, the council expressed disappointment with the NBTC for saying that it did not have any authority to approve or disapprove the merger.
The Council of State already confirmed that the NBTC had power to decide on the matter, the consumers’ council said.
The council said that it had no other choices but to ask the Administrative Court to stop the planned merger of both telecom operators.
TCC will also ask the National Anti-Corruption Commission to rule if the NBTC conducted malfeasance regarding its decision on the merger.
Meanwhile, Sirikanya Tansakun, deputy leader of the Move Forward Party, said that people doubted the NBTC’s statement that it only “acknowledged” the merger because the business of True and DTAC was not of the same kind.
As the NBTC declined to exercise its own authority to protect consumers’ interest and prevent monopoly in compliance with the Radio and Television Broadcasting Business Act and the Frequency Assignment Act, the party would have to accuse it of malfeasance, Ms Sirikanya said. (TNA)