The Information and Communication Technology Minister has insisted the 15-billion-baht national broadband project will not face any further delay as its terms of reference for auction have been finalised.
The national broadband procurement committee is preparing the auction process and expects to name the winner by Sept 15, said ICT Minister Uttama Savanayana.
After naming the winner, who will be a major supplier of broadband or optic-fibre networks for the national broadband project, the ICT Ministry will allow the state telecom TOT to distribute the network to targeted areas and hire private companies to install the network.
Mr Uttama said the national broadband project aims to build a low-cost nationwide broadband infrastructure to extend service areas to the 39,000 villages which still lack broadband internet access.
"We target equipping at least 10,000 villages by the end of this year, and extend to all 39,000 villages by 2017," he said.
There are 79,000 villages in total across the country, of which 40,000 now have broadband internet access.
In January, the cabinet approved allocating 20 billion baht for the ICT Ministry to construct hard infrastructure for the digital economy; 15 billion baht for the construction of the broadband internet network and the remaining 5 billion baht for new submarine routes.
Initially, the ICT Ministry targeted to complete the terms of reference for the national broadband project by March. However, the project was delayed for several months because the ministry faced management problems, said a source who asked not to be named.
Mr Uttama said the national broadband project is a crucial infrastructure development to serve the government's digital economy and Thailand 4.0 policies.
"The digital economy and Thailand 4.0 policies may face difficulties if the broadband internet infrastructure is not extended throughout the country to bridge the digital divide and provide access to people in remote areas," he said.
The government has outlined a 20-year roadmap during 2016-36 to develop Thailand's digital economy. The roadmap was approved by the cabinet in April.