NBTC protects business interests better than it serves consumers

The duty of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is to protect the interests of consumers, not those of the firms it's regulating. Yet consider that it set up a so-called auction which turned out to be three simultaneous one-horse races - the epitome of non-competition. Then, NBTC member Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn defends a law that prohibits service providers from cutting fees during their first year of operation, denying consumers the spoils of price competition.

Lastly, the NBTC defended operators that did not follow its requirement to reduce fees by 15-20 per cent, giving users more bandwidth instead. Why not benefit consumers by giving them a choice of either lower fees or more bandwidth? Why force clients who don't want more bandwidth to take it in lieu of money in their pockets?

To me, the NBTC is energetically and consistently protecting the operators' interests, rather than those of consumers. Are the commissioners doing their duty?

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/05/13/nbtc-protects-business-interests-better-than-it-serves-consumers/