Creative regulation is truly needed in the digital age, says NBTC vice-chairman Col Settapong Malisuwan.
The government has asked OTT, or so-called over-the-top platforms, to register as part of a regulatory framework. It is now being reviewed because of some weak points.
The regulations should include communication and broadcasting services that can be operated on both wired and wireless internet networks. Creative regulation is considered essential to the emerging economic system, dubbed the "application economy", which is a major factor driving Thailand towards the 4.0 era, he said.
People are gaining access to this kind of media as viewers, distributors and content developers. Regulation cannot stifle innovation, but at the same time must ensure people are not exposed to undesirable forms of information.
Social media like Facebook or YouTube have failed to control the distribution of data that generate hate speech or encourage fake news, he said. The government should take part in regulation of this sector to reduce conflicts and social confusion.
The regulations should also reduce regulatory costs for incumbent operators and treat OTT operators by the same standard. "More importantly, the framework should not obstruct the opportunity to apply new technology developed to enhance our living standards,'' he added.
Cooperation between the state sector and regulators will also be important. "For example, income tax-related issues will have to be executed in cooperation with the Revenue Department and cooperation among various units of the Ministry of Commerce is needed to ease business operations, such as attracting investment,'' he said.
OTT businesses in Thailand comprise independent OTT operators, pay TV operators that broadcast using OTT platforms, telecom operators who provide OTT services, and digital TV channels that broadcast programmes using OTT platforms.