Thailand - Internet

Synopsis

Thailand has started to energetically embrace Internet in its many forms across the marketplace. Over the last eight years, admittedly starting from a very low base, the estimated number of Internet users in Thailand has increased eightfold. ISPs also seem to be recovering from their earlier reputation for unreliable performance and a failure to invest in improved infrastructure. Now that the government has taken the first steps to fix the regulatory regime, with CAT being sidelined from the activities of the ISPs and, most importantly, the international Internet gateway market having been opened up, there should be increased opportunities for the development of the Internet in Thailand. This report looks at the Thai Internet market and some of the major players involved.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
  
• 2. Internet market
  
  • 2.1 Overview
    
    • 2.1.1 Thailand proposed as a regional ICT hub
      
    • 2.1.2 Internet censorship
      
  • 2.2 ISP market
    
  • 2.3 Major ISPs
    
    • 2.3.1 True Internet (formerly Asia Infonet)
      
    • 2.3.2 CS Loxinfo
      
    • 2.3.3 Jasmine Internet (JINet)
      
    • 2.3.4 Internet Thailand Co
      
    • 2.3.5 KSC Commercial Internet
      
    • 2.3.6 Loxley Information Services
      
    • 2.3.7 Samart Infonet
      
    • 2.3.8 Pacific Internet
      
    • 2.3.9 Roynet Internet
      
    • 2.3.10 CATNET
      
  • 2.4 Thailand Internet Exchange
    
    • 2.4.1 Opening up of gateway market
      
  • 2.5 Regulatory issues
    
    • 2.5.1 Internet charges
      
  • 2.6 Internet cafes
    
  • 2.7 Content
    
  • 2.8 Information Technology policy
    
• 3. Related reports
  

• Table 1 – Internet users – 1996 - 2008
• Table 2 – Internet subscribers – 1996 - 2008
• Table 3 – International Internet bandwidth – 2000 - 2009

• Exhibit 1 – Licensed ISPs in Thailand – 2008
• Exhibit 2 – ISPs operated by telecom companies