Thai panel to probe phone-tapping claims

The Straits Times, January 26, 2007
By Nirmal Ghosh, THAILAND CORRESPONDENT

Move comes after army chief accused S'pore of spying on its conversations

BANGKOK - THAILAND'S military-appointed government is setting up a panel to investigate allegations of eavesdropping on its telecommunication lines. The move came a week after Thailand's army chief accused Singapore of spying on its military phone conversations.

In a spiralling diplomatic spat, coup leader General Sonthi Boonyarataglin had voiced concern that Singapore could be listening in to confidential calls after its state-linked Temasek Holdings bought Thai telecom Shin Corp last year.

Singapore's government and Shin Corp's mobile phone company Advanced Info Service (AIS) have strenuously denied the charges.

Yesterday, Minister for Information and Communication Technology (IT) Sittichai Pookaiyaudoom did not say whether the probe would focus on Temasek and Shin Corp.

Instead, he said the investigation would look at the broader possibilities of security lapses in Thailand's telecommunications.

'I will today authorise the creation of a special committee chaired by the IT ministry's permanent secretary to conduct an investigation into eavesdropping,' he said.

'It will investigate damage to the public related to telecommunications, including wiretapping and eavesdropping.'

The family of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted by the military in a coup d'etat four months ago, sold its substantial stake in Shin Corp to Temasek Holdings a year ago.

The sale was controversial for several reasons, including the fact that two Shin Corp companies, AIS and Shinsat, are Thailand's dominant mobile and satellite companies, respectively.

Critics of the sale said it had placed strategic assets under the control of foreigners, affecting Thailand's national security.

The new controversy erupted after Mr Thaksin visited Singapore this month and met with Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar.

Mr Sittichai said yesterday he was not concerned about diplomatic repercussions from the probe.

'What the Singapore government said does not affect the IT ministry,' he said.

'That's for the foreign ministry to deal with, and I don't care about the comments by Singapore's government.

'They say Singapore is a sovereign state. Thailand is also a sovereign state. That's not an issue.'

The investigative panel would comprise representatives of local and international telephone operators as well as the National Telecommunication Commission.

It would have 60 days to report its findings, he said.

Asked by reporters whether the probe would have implications for Shin Corp's concessions, Mr Sittichai said: 'We have to carefully consider whether the terms of the concession allow the state to confiscate the concession, and on what grounds.'