The Thai government plans to increase efforts to push through the Frequency Allocation Bill, which provides for the creation of the new combined regulator, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC). Prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in his weekly television address that a government whip will work to ensure the bill gets parliamentary approval so that the process to elect commission members can start by the end of this year or early next year, the Bangkok Post writes. The NBTC will be responsible for holding 3G auctions as soon as possible. The country's central administrative court ruled that the planned auction should be suspended following a petition by CAT Telecom which challenges the authority of the current telecommunications regulator, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), to auction off the 3G licences. The central administrative court is expected to make a ruling on 23 September on whether the temporary injunction on the 3G auction will be maintained. The NTC is appealing the ruling.
