The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2024 Southeast Asia
Telecommunication systems Thailand, in 35 editions.
The entry for Thailand published Telecommunication systems in 35 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2024. The text changed in 28 editions. Each is shown as published. Telecommunication systems in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 28
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2024
Published as “Telecommunications” (1990 to 1994), “Telephone system” (1995 to 2019) and “Telecommunication systems” (2020 to 2024).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2024 edition
Changed since 2023Published as “Telecommunications”
- service to general public adequate;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and radio relay network;
- 739,500 telephones (1987);
- stations--over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11 TV in government-controlled networks;
- satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT;
- domestic satellite system being developed
service to general public adequate; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and radio relay network; 739,500 telephones (1987); stations--over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11 TV in government-controlled networks; satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT; domestic satellite system being developed
Published as “Telecommunications”
- service to general public inadequate;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and radio relay network;
- 739,500 telephones (1987);
- stations--over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11 TV in government-controlled networks;
- satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT;
- domestic satellite system being developed
service to general public adequate; inadequate; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and radio relay network; 739,500 telephones (1987); stations--over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11 TV in government-controlled networks; satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT; domestic satellite system being developed
Published as “Telecommunications”
- service to general public inadequate;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and radio relay network;
- 739,500 telephones (1987);
- broadcast stations - over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11 TV in government-controlled networks;
- satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT domestic satellite system being developed
service to general public inadequate; bulk of service to government
activities provided by multichannel cable and radio relay network; 739,500
telephones (1987); stations--over broadcast stations - over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11 TV in
government-controlled networks; satellite earth stations--1 stations - 1 Indian Ocean
INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT; INTELSAT domestic satellite system being
developed
Published as “Telecommunications”
- service to general public inadequate;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network;
- 739,500 telephones (1987);
- broadcast stations - over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11 TV in government-controlled networks;
- satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT;
- domestic satellite system being developed
service to general public inadequate; bulk of service to government
activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network; 739,500
739,500 telephones (1987); broadcast stations - over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11
TV inOcean
Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT INTELSAT; domestic satellite system being
developed
Published as “Telecommunications”
- service to general public inadequate;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network;
- 739,500 telephones (1987);
- broadcast stations - over 200 AM, 100 FM, and 11 TV in government-controlled networks;
- satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT;
- domestic satellite system being developed
service to general public inadequate; bulk of service to government
activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network;
network; 739,500 telephones (1987); broadcast stations - over 200 AM,
100 FM, and 11
stations - 1 Indian
domestic satellite system being
Published as “Telephone system”
- 739,500 telephones (1987);
- service to general public inadequate;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
- local:
- NA
- intercity:
- microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
- international:
- 2 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) earth stations
739,500 telephones (1987); service to general public
inadequate; bulk of service to government
multichannel cable and microwave radio relay networknetwork; 739,500 telephones (1987); broadcast stations - over 200 AM, local: NA100 FM, intercity: microwave radio relay and 11 TV in government-controlled networks; multichannel cable; domestic
satellite earth system being developedstations - 1 international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT; Ocean) earthdomestic satellite system being developed stations
The same text in 1996 and 1997.
Published as “Telephone system”
service to general public inadequate; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
- domestic:
- microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
- international:
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
739,500 telephones (1987); service to general public
service to government activities provided by
microwave radio relay networklocal: NA domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic
intercity:
satellite system being developed
international: satellite earth stations - 2 INTELSAT Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
and 1 Pacific Ocean) earth
stations
Published as “Telephone system”
- service to general public adequate, but investments in technological upgrades reduced by recession;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
- domestic:
- microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
- international:
- satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
service to general public inadequate; adequate, but investments
in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of
government activities provided by multichannel cable and
radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic
satellite system being developed
international: satellite earth stations - 2 stations-2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
1 Pacific Ocean)
Published as “Telephone system”
- service to general public adequate, but investments in technological upgrades reduced by recession;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
- domestic:
- microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
- international:
- satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
service to general public adequate, but investments
investments in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of
service tomicrowave
microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic
satellite system being developed
international: satellite earth stations-2 stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and
and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Published as “Telephone system”
- service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
- domestic:
- microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
- international:
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
service to general public adequate, but
investments
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic
international: satellite earth stations--2 stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable;
- domestic satellite system being developed international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
The same text in 2002 and 2003.
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
- domestic:
- microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
- international:
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession;
- bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
- domestic:
- microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
- international:
- country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
The same text in 2005 and 2006.
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of telecom sector is planned to be complete by 2006
- domestic:
- fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
- international:
- country code - 66;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean);
- landing country for APCN submarine cable
general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment high quality system, especially in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk urban areas like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of service telecom sector is planned to government activities provided be complete by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network 2006
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite fixed line system being developed provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) Ocean); landing country for APCN submarine cable
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
- domestic:
- fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
- international:
- country code - 66;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean);
- landing country for APCN submarine cable
general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of telecom sector is planned to be complete by 2006 Bangkok
domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for APCN submarine cable
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
- domestic:
- fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
- international:
- country code - 66;
- connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for APCN submarine cable Ocean)
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
- domestic:
- fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
- international:
- country code - 66;
- connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)
general assessment:
high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
domestic:
fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
international:
country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)
The same text in 3 editions, 2010 to 2012.
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
- domestic:
- fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
- international:
- country code - 66;
- connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)
general assessment:
high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
domestic:
fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
international:
country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)
The same text in 2013 and 2014.
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
- domestic:
- fixed line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
- international:
- country code - 66;
- connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2011)
general assessment:
high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
domestic:
fixed line system provided by both a government owned government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
international:
country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2011)
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
- domestic:
- fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
- international:
- country code - 66;
- connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2011)
general assessment:
domestic:
fixed line
international:
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
- domestic:
- fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
- international:
- country code - 66;
- connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2015)
general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2011) (2015)
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
- domestic:
- fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
- international:
- country code - 66;
- connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2016)
general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2015) (2016)
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok (2016)
- domestic:
- fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly (2016)
- international:
- country code - 66;
- connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2016)
general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok (2016)
domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly (2016)
international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2016)
Published as “Telephone system”
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok;
- mobile and mobile broadband penetration are on the increase;
- Fibre-to-the-home (FttH) has seen strong growth in the major cities;
- 4G TD-LTE and moving to 5G trials;
- seven smart cities with the hope of 100 smart cities within its borders in the next two decades;
- one of the biggest e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia (2018)
- domestic:
- fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider;
- wireless service expanding rapidly;
- fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 178 per 100 (2018)
- international:
- country code - 66;
- landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok (2016) Bangkok; mobile and mobile broadband penetration are on the increase; Fibre-to-the-home (FttH) has seen strong growth in the major cities; 4G TD-LTE and moving to 5G trials; seven smart cities with the hope of 100 smart cities within its borders in the next two decades; one of the biggest e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia (2018)
domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly (2016) rapidly; fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 178 per 100 (2018)
international: country code - 66; connected to major landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2016) (2019)
- general assessment:
- high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok;
- mobile and mobile broadband penetration are on the increase;
- Fiber-to-the-home (FttH) has seen strong growth in the major cities;
- 4G TD-LTE available and moving to 5G services;
- seven smart cities with the hope of 100 smart cities within its borders in the next two decades;
- one of the biggest e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia;
- fixed broadband remains relative compared to other developed Asian telecom markets and with the dominance of the mobile platform (2020)
- domestic:
- fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider;
- wireless service expanding rapidly;
- fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 186 per 100 (2019)
- international:
- country code - 66;
- landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok; mobile and mobile broadband penetration are on the increase; Fibre-to-the-home Fiber-to-the-home (FttH) has seen strong growth in the major cities; 4G TD-LTE available and moving to 5G trials; services; seven smart cities with the hope of 100 smart cities within its borders in the next two decades; one of the biggest e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia (2018) Asia; fixed broadband remains relative compared to other developed Asian telecom markets and with the dominance of the mobile platform (2020)
domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly; fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 178 186 per 100 (2018) (2019)
international: country code - 66; landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
- general assessment:
- high-quality system, especially in urban areas;
- mobile and mobile broadband penetration are on the increase;
- FttH has strong growth in cities;
- 4G-LTE available with adoption of 5G services;
- seven smart cities with aim for 100 smart cities by 2024;
- one of the biggest e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia;
- fixed-broadband and mobile marketplace on par with other developed Asian markets;
- development of Asian data center underway;
- Internet connectivity supported by international bandwidth to Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, and terrestrial cables with neighboring countries;
- two more submarine cables under construction with anticipated landings in 2022;
- government restricts Internet and freedom of press, with additional constraints in response to pandemic-related criticism in 2020;
- importer of broadcasting equipment and integrated circuits from China and export of same to neighboring countries in Asia (2020)
- domestic:
- fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider;
- wireless service expanding rapidly;
- fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 186 per 100 (2019)
- international:
- country code - 66;
- landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
general assessment: high quality high-quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok; areas; mobile and mobile broadband penetration are on the increase; Fiber-to-the-home (FttH) FttH has seen strong growth in the major cities; 4G TD-LTE 4G-LTE available and moving to with adoption of 5G services; seven smart cities with the hope of aim for 100 smart cities within its borders in the next two decades; by 2024; one of the biggest e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia; fixed broadband remains relative compared to fixed-broadband and mobile marketplace on par with other developed Asian telecom markets markets; development of Asian data center underway; Internet connectivity supported by international bandwidth to Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, and terrestrial cables with the dominance neighboring countries; two more submarine cables under construction with anticipated landings in 2022; government restricts Internet and freedom of the mobile platform press, with additional constraints in response to pandemic-related criticism in 2020; importer of broadcasting equipment and integrated circuits from China and export of same to neighboring countries in Asia (2020)
domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly; fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 186 per 100 (2019)
international: country code - 66; landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect consequent restriction on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable services as a tool for work and satellite - has moderated school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
- general assessment:
- Thailand’s telecom sector is relatively mature and hosts a mix of public and private sector players;
- the mobile market is highly developed and has experienced strong growth over the last seven years;
- the market returned to growth in 2021 after it contracted in 2020 driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, and a steep decline in inbound tourism;
- it remains highly saturated, owing to overall maturity and the popularity of multiple SIM card use, which has resulted in a particularly high penetration rate;
- in general, the sector retains considerable potential given the impetus of 5G, the recent spectrum auctions, and continued network deployments by the country’s network operators;
- further auctions of spectrum in the 700MHz band (being repurposed from digital TV broadcasting), and in the 3.6GHz range will further improve network capacity;
- in the wire line segment, the decline in fixed-line penetration is expected to continue as subscribers migrate to mobile networks for voice and data services;
- the emphasis among operators has been to bolster their fiber footprints in key high-value areas;
- the transition to fiber from DSL and cable has also been facilitated by changes to the regulatory structure that have removed some barriers to investment;
- this is supporting the cannibalization of older copper-based DSL lines by fiber;
- the returns from this investment remain a long-term prospect as consumers still favor entry-level packages;
- there is also strong interest from the government, as well as private vendors, in establishing Thailand as a data center hub to serve the region;
- the size, capacity and spread of existing data centers in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) outside of Thailand is small;
- Thailand retains some advantages to attract investment, including improved fiber connectivity and international bandwidth;
- increasing submarine capacity, such as the SJC2 cable to come online later in 2022, will considerably improve Thailand’s potential as a regional hub (2022)
- domestic:
- fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider;
- wireless service expanding;
- fixed-line over 7 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 167 per 100 (2020)
- international:
- country code - 66;
- landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Rewritten: too little of the 2021 text remains to mark the changes.
general assessment: Thailand’s telecom sector is relatively mature and hosts a mix of public and private sector players; the mobile market is highly developed and has experienced strong growth over the last seven years; the market returned to growth in 2021 after it contracted in 2020 driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, and a steep decline in inbound tourism; it remains highly saturated, owing to overall maturity and the popularity of multiple SIM card use, which has resulted in a particularly high penetration rate; in general, the sector retains considerable potential given the impetus of 5G, the recent spectrum auctions, and continued network deployments by the country’s network operators; further auctions of spectrum in the 700MHz band (being repurposed from digital TV broadcasting), and in the 3.6GHz range will further improve network capacity; in the wire line segment, the decline in fixed-line penetration is expected to continue as subscribers migrate to mobile networks for voice and data services; the emphasis among operators has been to bolster their fiber footprints in key high-value areas; the transition to fiber from DSL and cable has also been facilitated by changes to the regulatory structure that have removed some barriers to investment; this is supporting the cannibalization of older copper-based DSL lines by fiber; the returns from this investment remain a long-term prospect as consumers still favor entry-level packages; there is also strong interest from the government, as well as private vendors, in establishing Thailand as a data center hub to serve the region; the size, capacity and spread of existing data centers in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) outside of Thailand is small; Thailand retains some advantages to attract investment, including improved fiber connectivity and international bandwidth; increasing submarine capacity, such as the SJC2 cable to come online later in 2022, will considerably improve Thailand’s potential as a regional hub (2022)
domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding; fixed-line over 7 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 167 per 100 (2020)
international: country code - 66; landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
- general assessment:
- Thailand’s telecom sector is relatively mature and hosts a mix of public and private sector players;
- the mobile market is highly developed and has experienced strong growth over the last seven years;
- the market returned to growth in 2021 after it contracted in 2020 driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, and a steep decline in inbound tourism;
- it remains highly saturated, owing to overall maturity and the popularity of multiple SIM card use, which has resulted in a particularly high penetration rate;
- in general, the sector retains considerable potential given the impetus of 5G, the recent spectrum auctions, and continued network deployments by the country’s network operators;
- further auctions of spectrum in the 700MHz band (being repurposed from digital TV broadcasting), and in the 3.6GHz range will further improve network capacity;
- in the wire line segment, the decline in fixed-line penetration is expected to continue as subscribers migrate to mobile networks for voice and data services;
- the emphasis among operators has been to bolster their fiber footprints in key high-value areas;
- the transition to fiber from DSL and cable has also been facilitated by changes to the regulatory structure that have removed some barriers to investment;
- this is supporting the cannibalization of older copper-based DSL lines by fiber;
- the returns from this investment remain a long-term prospect as consumers still favor entry-level packages;
- there is also strong interest from the government, as well as private vendors, in establishing Thailand as a data center hub to serve the region;
- the size, capacity and spread of existing data centers in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) outside of Thailand is small;
- Thailand retains some advantages to attract investment, including improved fiber connectivity and international bandwidth;
- increasing submarine capacity, such as the SJC2 cable to come online later in 2023, will considerably improve Thailand’s potential as a regional hub (2022)
- domestic:
- fixed-line is 7 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 170 per 100 (2021)
- international:
- country code - 66;
- landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
general assessment: Thailand’s telecom sector is relatively mature and hosts a mix of public and private sector players; the mobile market is highly developed and has experienced strong growth over the last seven years; the market returned to growth in 2021 after it contracted in 2020 driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, and a steep decline in inbound tourism; it remains highly saturated, owing to overall maturity and the popularity of multiple SIM card use, which has resulted in a particularly high penetration rate; in general, the sector retains considerable potential given the impetus of 5G, the recent spectrum auctions, and continued network deployments by the country’s network operators; further auctions of spectrum in the 700MHz band (being repurposed from digital TV broadcasting), and in the 3.6GHz range will further improve network capacity; in the wire line segment, the decline in fixed-line penetration is expected to continue as subscribers migrate to mobile networks for voice and data services; the emphasis among operators has been to bolster their fiber footprints in key high-value areas; the transition to fiber from DSL and cable has also been facilitated by changes to the regulatory structure that have removed some barriers to investment; this is supporting the cannibalization of older copper-based DSL lines by fiber; the returns from this investment remain a long-term prospect as consumers still favor entry-level packages; there is also strong interest from the government, as well as private vendors, in establishing Thailand as a data center hub to serve the region; the size, capacity and spread of existing data centers in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) outside of Thailand is small; Thailand retains some advantages to attract investment, including improved fiber connectivity and international bandwidth; increasing submarine capacity, such as the SJC2 cable to come online later in 2022, 2023, will considerably improve Thailand’s potential as a regional hub (2022)
domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding; fixed-line over is 7 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 167 is 170 per 100 (2020) (2021)
international: country code - 66; landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
- general assessment:
- Thailand’s telecom sector is relatively mature and hosts a mix of public and private sector players;
- the mobile market is highly developed and has experienced strong growth over the last seven years;
- the market returned to growth in 2021 after it contracted in 2020 driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, and a steep decline in inbound tourism;
- it remains highly saturated, owing to overall maturity and the popularity of multiple SIM card use, which has resulted in a particularly high penetration rate;
- in general, the sector retains considerable potential given the impetus of 5G, the recent spectrum auctions, and continued network deployments by the country’s network operators;
- further auctions of spectrum in the 700MHz band (being repurposed from digital TV broadcasting), and in the 3.6GHz range will further improve network capacity;
- in the wire line segment, the decline in fixed-line penetration is expected to continue as subscribers migrate to mobile networks for voice and data services;
- the emphasis among operators has been to bolster their fiber footprints in key high-value areas;
- the transition to fiber from DSL and cable has also been facilitated by changes to the regulatory structure that have removed some barriers to investment;
- this is supporting the cannibalization of older copper-based DSL lines by fiber;
- the returns from this investment remain a long-term prospect as consumers still favor entry-level packages;
- there is also strong interest from the government, as well as private vendors, in establishing Thailand as a data center hub to serve the region;
- the size, capacity and spread of existing data centers in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) outside of Thailand is small;
- Thailand retains some advantages to attract investment, including improved fiber connectivity and international bandwidth;
- increasing submarine capacity, such as the SJC2 cable to come online later in 2023, will considerably improve Thailand’s potential as a regional hub (2022)
- domestic:
- fixed-line is 19 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 176 per 100 (2022)
- international:
- country code - 66;
- landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
general assessment: Thailand’s telecom sector is relatively mature and hosts a mix of public and private sector players; the mobile market is highly developed and has experienced strong growth over the last seven years; the market returned to growth in 2021 after it contracted in 2020 driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, and a steep decline in inbound tourism; it remains highly saturated, owing to overall maturity and the popularity of multiple SIM card use, which has resulted in a particularly high penetration rate; in general, the sector retains considerable potential given the impetus of 5G, the recent spectrum auctions, and continued network deployments by the country’s network operators; further auctions of spectrum in the 700MHz band (being repurposed from digital TV broadcasting), and in the 3.6GHz range will further improve network capacity; in the wire line segment, the decline in fixed-line penetration is expected to continue as subscribers migrate to mobile networks for voice and data services; the emphasis among operators has been to bolster their fiber footprints in key high-value areas; the transition to fiber from DSL and cable has also been facilitated by changes to the regulatory structure that have removed some barriers to investment; this is supporting the cannibalization of older copper-based DSL lines by fiber; the returns from this investment remain a long-term prospect as consumers still favor entry-level packages; there is also strong interest from the government, as well as private vendors, in establishing Thailand as a data center hub to serve the region; the size, capacity and spread of existing data centers in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) outside of Thailand is small; Thailand retains some advantages to attract investment, including improved fiber connectivity and international bandwidth; increasing submarine capacity, such as the SJC2 cable to come online later in 2023, will considerably improve Thailand’s potential as a regional hub (2022)
domestic: fixed-line is 7 19 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 170 176 per 100 (2021) (2022)
international: country code - 66; landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Thailand: Telecommunication systems.” The World Factbook, 1990–2024 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/thailand/telecommunication-systems.