ABSTRACT
The history of Thailand’s telecommunications begins as early as 1883 when the Departments of Post and Telegraph were founded. These were merged in 1898 to become the Department of Post and Telegraph. The first telegraph line was built from the mouth of Chao Phaya river, in the Samutprakarn province, to Bangkok to monitor the incoming ships. From 1934, following the Telegraph and Telephone Act of the same year, the Post and Telegraph Department (PTD) held the monopoly for telephone services, but in 1954, under the Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT) Act, telecommunications were transferred to the control of the TOT. This body was responsible for installing and operating telephone services, including other value-added services. In 1977, the Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) Act of 1976 was passed which created a new state enterprise responsible for international communication and the postal services.
