Thai government re-examines CAT privatization

The newly established Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, headed by Surapong Suebwonglee, has started to address the long-delayed schedule for privatizing the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) - the state enterprise that owns Thailand's international telecom gateways and operates the country's postal system. CAT also controls the controversial licensing system for Thai-based Internet Service Providers (ISP) with its mandatory equity stake provision in favour of the CAT. That system is widely blamed for retarding the development of the country's Internet industry.