The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) board will consider revised draft regulations concerning foreign shareholdings for licensed telecom operators on July 16.
Col Settapong Malisuwan, chairman of the NBTC telecom committee, said the committee will finalise its review on July 15 before submitting the results to the NBTC board the following day.
Col Settapong said regulators are in the process of revising the final draft regarding foreign dominance of telecom businesses.
Foreign shareholding in telecom operators is currently capped at 49% under the law.
But some operators have expressed concern that the new rules, which look beyond simple shareholdings to issues of foreign management control, could result in legal complications in the future, particularly as the NBTC prepares to auction off new third-generation wireless spectrum later this year.
Of the three major mobile operators, Advanced Info Service is indirectly controlled by Singapore Telecom and Temasek Holdings, while second-ranked Total Access Communication (DTAC) is under the control of Norway's Telenor. The third-largest operator, TrueMove, is controlled by True Corporation, whose major shareholder is agribusiness giant Charoen Pokphand Group.
DTAC executives are concerned the foreign dominance rule could result in a challenge to its bid for a 3G licence later this year.