The board of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has approved Starlink conducting a trial project to provide a high-speed internet service with Prince of Songkla University on a Ku-band satellite channel.
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by US aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to more than 70 countries.
According to NBTC commissioner AM Thanapant Raicharoen, this sandbox project marks the country's first trial for providing high-speed internet service through a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite.
The test runs for six months covering three objectives: offering a relief system for marine disasters, a long-distance learning system, and telemedicine for hospitals in the sub-district health promotion scheme in Kanchanaburi province.
AM Thanapant said LEO satellites are a core trend of the developing space economy.
LEO satellites operate between 500 and 2,000 kilometres above the Earth's surface, compared with the 36,000km height of geostationary satellites, which are the traditional type of communications satellite.
The advantage of the lower orbit is lower latency. Lower latency can benefit anyone with access to high-speed internet via 5G technology, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, machine-to-machine technology, as well as drone technology and apps in areas that require high levels of accuracy, such as remote surgery.
LEO satellites include broadband and narrow-band satellites.
Recently satellite operator Thaicom launched the Thaicom-Globalstar satellite gateway to provide LEO satellite constellation services and solutions.
These facilities are located at Thaicom's satellite station in Pathum Thani province.
Thaicom chief executive Patompob Suwansiri said the gateway aims to provide security and IoT solutions that will benefit several industries such as tourism and maritime services, along with nature conservation and national defence.
In another development, an NBTC source who requested anonymity said the regulator's board recently cut six proposed insignificant or unclear projects for 2024. The source said NBTC management proposed 16 new projects for 2024 with expenses of 126 million baht. The board agreed to 10 projects with a budget of 101 million baht.