After years of delay, Thailand this week concluded its auction to run a 3G mobile ‘phone network here. Not surprisingly, the auction has given every impression that the three companies bidding colluded, resulting the the government receiving 16.3 billion Baht less than the price recommended by a panel of experts from Chulalongkorn engaged by the government. Still, what’s $532 million between friends?
Of course some people will grumble that Thailand has been very slow to adopt the technology. After all, our poorer and more backward neighbours Burma and Laos have both had 3G ‘phone networks for many years now. But that just proves our neighbours’ system of corruption is much more efficient than ours.
Personally, I’m rather glad that Thailand is tardy in rolling out new technology because when, on August 29th at 2:14 a.m. Eastern Time, Lao’s 10G mobile ‘phones become self-aware and start an all-out apocolyptic war again humanity, here in Thailand we’ll still happily be contemplating the possible rollout of 4G technology.
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