While the Internet was expanding relatively rapidly in the educational and research community in the early 1990's, growing demands in the private sector was unmet. It was not until early 1995 that the Thai Internet was commercialized.
After a feasibility study, Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT), and the Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT), the Thai telecommunications duopoly, approved a joint venture proposal from NECTEC to commercialize the Internet.
Thus Thailand's first commercial ISP, Internet Thailand, was established, a joint venture of the Telephone Organization of Thailand and the CAT, both registered as private companies with 33% shareholding each, and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) with 34%.
Three months after the establishment of Internet Thailand, CAT began allowing the private sector to operate as ISPs. At the end of 1996, more than ten ISP licenses had been awarded but only five were in operation.
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