The NT board resolved that NT will no longer pay the fee for Thaicom 4 management after mid-year.
State enterprise National Telecom (NT) has extended the retirement date of the Thaicom 4 satellite to the end of September 2026, though it is declining to pay Thaicom 4's management fees to Thaicom Plc, citing technical risks.The move follows Thaicom's proposal to NT that the satellite's expiration date be extended to the end of next year after two extensions in recent years.
According to NT president Col Sanpachai Huvanandana, the latest extension addresses the delayed deployment of the satellite's successor, Thaicom 9, ensuring uninterrupted service for customers.
In the past, the Thaicom 4 and Thaicom 6 satellites were operated by Thaicom under a state concession regime.
Thaicom later transferred ownership of the two satellites to the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry, which in turn assigned NT to operate servicing for the two satellites.
