<article>The State Enterprise Policy Committee has approved the merger of Thailand&#8217;s state-run telecom companies, TOT Plc and CAT Telecom.</article>

The State Enterprise Policy Committee has approved the merger of Thailand&#8217;s state-run telecom companies, TOT Plc and CAT Telecom.
Monchai Noosong, president of TOT, told Prachachart&#8217;s website that the merger is expected to complete in June and it should take a few more years to complete the business restructuring.
It previously planned to split both companies into two new companies, but the labour unions were strongly opposed to it. The committee, therefore, considered merging them into a single entity and renamed it as National Telecom Company that is 100 per cent owned by the Finance Ministry.
After the merger, the new entity will operate five core businesses which are infrastructure unit, international telecommunication unit, fixed-broadband and fixed-line telephone, mobile network and digital solution service.
Meanwhile, the State Enterprise Policy Office announced plans to divest 72 privately owned companies which it holds less than 50 per cent by putting 18 non-listed securities on sale, the Bangkok Post reported, attributing it to sources.
The Finance Ministry currently holds shares in 109 listed and unlisted companies with a combined market value of 1.15 trillion baht and a book value of over 800 billion baht, according to Sepo data in 2017. Of this, 89 are non-listed and 20 are listed companies.
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Monchai Noosong, president of TOT, said the merger is expected to complete in June and a restructuring should take a few more years to complete.

Thailand approves merger of telcos TOT and CAT

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Thailand approves merger of telcos TOT and CAT

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