This year's planned 700-megahertz spectrum auction, intended to set up 5G infrastructure, is "too rushed", say academics and consumer protection supporters concerned that telecoms and broadcasting companies are not ready to take on 5G spectrum.
They suggest postponing the auction until 2020 or 2021 to give telecom companies time to prepare.
At a National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) public forum yesterday, several critics underlined uncertainty in the government's plan, particularly the lack of a 5G spectrum roadmap, which creates risks for the industry.
Globally 5G still does not have any clear business uses.
The forum participants also opposed the regulator's recent effort to loan the NBTC's funds to telecom operators to invest in 5G infrastructure on the grounds that the NBTC is not a bank and it must not be a stakeholder in telecom operators.
Academics urged the prime minister not to invoke Section 44 to ease the financial burden for winners of the 900MHz licence auctions in 2015, especially as the general election nears, as it would be an abuse of power.
Somkiat Tangkitvanich, president of Thailand Development and Research Institute (TDRI), said the auction of 5G spectrum licences should be separate from the government's intention to assist digital TV operators.
The 700MHz auction is being rushed, as it was first mentioned that the auction date would be this February, then changed to mid-year, Mr Somkiat said.
He said the NBTC should do three important things to ensure efficient preparation for the 5G ecosystem: create a roadmap for 5G spectrum, including standards and a reserve price for different band ranges; build stable regulatory conditions to reduce costs for operators; and promote real infrastructure sharing.
The chief executive of market leader Advanced Info Service, Somchai Lertsutiwong, said previously that the company would not be in a hurry to invest in 5G infrastructure and is instead waiting for use cases to mature.
Mr Somkiat said the 5G spectrum roadmap will enable telecom operators to consider and decide what ranges they want to bid on.
A roadmap including reserve prices for all the 5G spectrum ranges will create clearer comparisons for spectra costs, meaning that an operator who wins the licence from one spectrum auction will not be able to complain about a winning price being higher than other ranges, he said.
Mr Somkiat also criticised the NBTC's plan to use money from the 700MHz auction to subsidise digital TV operators.