Thailand Allocates 40 Billion Baht for Five-Year Universal Service Plan
Thailand's telecom regulator has approved a 40-billion-baht five-year universal service plan to expand internet and telecommunications access to schools, hospitals, vulnerable communities, and remote areas nationwide.
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission has greenlighted an expanded fourth Universal Service Obligation plan worth 40 billion baht, pursuing a nationwide network and telecommunications infrastructure under five core strategies spanning five years. The measure, announced in the Royal Gazette and signed by Commission Chair Dr. Sorin Bunyibai Chaiyaprueksa on May 22, 2025, elevates the original one-year initiative (2023-2024) with 8 billion baht in funding into a comprehensive five-year program (May 30, 2023 through 2027) and broadens its scope to include communications systems, telecommunications technology, and support for personal computers and tablets for vulnerable groups such as low-income individuals, persons with disabilities, children, the elderly, remote communities, schools, and hospitals.
The 40-billion-baht budget is allocated across five strategic pillars: (1) Education services (11.353 billion baht)—ensuring internet access to underserved schools and learning centres in at least 80 percent of the country and upskilling at least 500,000 students and citizens; (2) Public health services (5.27 billion baht)—providing internet to clinics and health posts in at least 90 percent of the country, expanding telehealth platforms, and supporting medical devices for at least 300,000 bedridden patients; (3) Support for persons with disabilities and disadvantaged groups (5.27 billion baht)—upgrading at least 1,000 service centres nationwide and training at least 300,000 beneficiaries; (4) Public benefit (11.353 billion baht)—supporting non-profit government services in remote areas and upgrading public-sector service delivery in at least 90 percent of the country; and (5) Security (6.754 billion baht)—providing emergency and security-focused internet to relevant agencies in at least 80 percent of the country and building resilient communications networks in border and disaster-monitoring zones covering at least 30 percent of the territory.
The plan also permits licensed telecommunications operators to undertake portions of the USO obligations and claim deductions from their USO fund contributions, emphasizing value for money, transparency, and accountability.
