No companies picked up bid documents for the second planned auction of the 1800- and 900-megahertz spectra licences yesterday -- the first day to do so.
Interested firms have until Aug 7 to pick up bid documents, the last day before the submission date on Aug 8.
But a high-ranking source at the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) said some mobile operators plan to take the bid docs for the 1800- and 900MHz auctions on July 16 because they want to meet the NBTC secretary-general on that day.
NBTC secretary-general Takorn Tantasith is currently participating in the International Telecommunication Union meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.
"It doesn't matter whether they pick up the bid documents on the first day because the prospective bidders have been preparing themselves for weeks," said the NBTC source.
The source said the NBTC does not believe this auction round for the spectra licences will be aborted because the regulator has already amended important conditions, especially the decision to offer nine 1800MHz license slots at a lower reserve price.
Previously, Mr Takorn told the Bangkok Post that he expects the auctions next month to generate 50 billion baht -- 36 billion for the 900MHz license and 12.48 billion for one slot of the 1800MHz spectrum.
Total Access Communication, the country's third-largest mobile operator, is expected to bid on both licences.
The auction dates for the 900MHz and 1800MHz licences are scheduled for Aug 18 and 19, respectively.
