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To Have or Not to Have Satellites
Bucking the trend to go regional Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore-each have embarked on ambitious and costly programmes to own and operate their own satellites.
This has surprised some communications experts here since all three countries have leased transponders from the only country in the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) which owns satellites — Indonesia.
The three have so far relied on Indonesia's two Palapa satellites. Two years ago, Jakarta even offered ASEAN the use of one of the satellites for regional communications. Indonesia even offered the Palapa-4 scheduled to be operational by July.
But Thailand is eager lo become a trade and communications hub for Indochina. Malaysia says ft wants to reduce costs and dependence on neighbours. And Singapore alms to upgrade its status of a regional telecommunications centre by going global.
Faced with these developments, Indonesia ts now kx>k-alo North Asia and the Pa-
Islands, although it will not give up on South-east Asia. A new private company with powerful political backing is also' poised to enter the market.
Thailand's privately-owned Shlnawata Computer and Communications has already ordered two satellites for USS1OO million from Hugcs Aerospace of the United States.
The first satellite. Thailand
sat 1. will be launched in late 1993 or early 1994 by the Eruopean consortium, Ari-anespacc, at a cost of US$35 million. It will provide telephone. telex, da la and television transmission throughoui Thailand and will cover pans of Indochina, Singapore. Korea, Taiwan. Hong Kong and Japan.
"Countries close to Thailand can switch to our satellites because this will have a belter focus of the region than Asiasat, Palapa, or Intelsat." said Shinawatra Chairman Thaksin Shinawatra. “It will help reduce costs to users."
The Thai government has granted the company eight years to enjoy a monopoly status. Shinawatra is aggressively aiming for the domestic market for satellite entertainment and data communications and will be setting up a national network through its Cable TV affiliate.
Meanwhile. Malaysia has signed a memorandum of uh
derslandlng with the US-based Hughes Communications International for HS376 spln-slabiliscd. satellites costing a tola) of USS250 million. Called the Malaysian East Asia Satellites (MEASAT). the cquip-
Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore each go for their own satellites while industry veteran Indonesia considers other options. Surya Gangadha-' ran of IPS reports.
ment will be launched by Ari-anespace in 1994 from Korou in French Guyana.
Malaysia hopes to use MEASAT in monitoring its forest cover and catching illegal loggers. Kuala Lumpur is also forging ahead with plans for a sophisticated receiving station.
"Now we arc paying an exorbitant sum for using satellite facilities and getting images and pictures from some of our
neighbours." said Malaysian Science. Technology and Environment Minister Law Hleng Ding. Al present, Thailand shares meteorological and other data with Malaysia.
Six user firms involved in the MEASAT project from the start — including the Philippine lx>ng Distance Telephone Company — will have priority use of Ils services once it bc-comes operational.
Singapore Telecoms, due to be privatised this year, also wants to launch its own telecommunications satellite as hedge in the global market. Estimated costs add up to US$123 million including purchase. launch and insurance.
Telecom will use the satellite for broadcasting purposes aside from transmitting international telecommunications data. It now transmits overseas using submarine cables and through Intelsat and Immarsat, two consortia where its equity investment stands at US$50 million.
A satellite-aided search-and-rescue system is expected to be commissioned in two years for air and sea disasters. The US$ 2.4-million system will likely strengthen Singapore's position as an Important free port.
Meanwhile, Pasiflk Satelit Nusantara (PSN) — a new Indonesian private company — will use a Palapa satellite already in orbit and compete with Intelsat in offering cross-Pacific telephone traffic.
Bambang Trihatmdojo, President Suharto's son, owns 30 per cent of PSN while Telckommuniksi (Telekom) owns 40 per cent. The balance is split between two other partners.
PSN will buy the Palapa B-l satellite launched by Telekom In 1983. The B-l will be moved to another orbit and gradually inclined to save fuel and extend the satellite's life by three years. PSN plans to buy other Palapa satellites as they near the end of their operating lives. Transmissions will begin In May.
Observers say PSN has an edge over the others since it will not have to fork over hefty sums as launch and related costs. Its customers will pay only US$250,000 for a full transponder as against a US$1.1 million fee for a Palapa and US$1.3 million for Asiasat.
Main customer targets include satellite news gatherers CNN, the US Public Broadcasting Service, and video, voice, or data transmitters needing a satellite back-up for fibre-optic transmission network. — (IPS)