TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY POLICY ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THAILAND

A telecommunications regulator plays an important role in people communication and also in promoting capability development in other sectors such as manufacturing sector, trade and commerce sector as well as public and private service sectors. The distribution of Universal Basic Telecommunications and Social Services will minimize the gap in communication and technology access which will improve the quality of life of the people in remote areas and bring about the equality and fairness in standard of living for all citizens both in the city and the remote areas. This will finally affects the national competitiveness level. In Thailand, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), as an independent regulator, has issued the NBTC's Notification Regarding the Criteria and Procedure for Revenue Collection to Fund the Provision of Universal Basic Telecommunications Services and Social Services which prescribes the criteria and procedure for revenue collection from telecommunications service licensees for contribution to the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Research and Development Fund for the Public Interest. The goal is to promote and improve knowledge and skill which will benefit to the public for the appropriated and efficient access to the basic telecommunications services. This paper aims to describe how the NBTC develop policy and strategy to achieve the objective of the NBTC's Notification Regarding Plan on Universal Basic Telecommunications Services and Social Services (B.E. 2555-2559) on research and development. The paper also demonstrates the organization structure and key management issues.