Thailand’s Supreme Administrative Court reversed the ruling of the Central Administrative Court today (Monday), rejecting the suit filed by the Foundation for Consumers, demanding the revocation of a resolution of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission acknowledging the merger between True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC).
As a result of the ruling, the Central Administrative Court will have to accept the foundation’s suit.
The Supreme Administrative Court reasoned that the foundation’s objective is to protect the rights of consumers,who are mostly users of the mobile phone services provided by DTAC Trinet Company, a subsidiary of Total Access Communication Public Company and, therefore, are directly affected by the planned merger.
The court also ruled that the Central Administrative Court is empowered to accept the foundation’s suit, even though it was submitted after the expiry of the deadline for such submissions, because the planned merger may affect free and fair competition, having widespread impacts on consumers.
