Thaicom Public Company Limited (SET: THCOM) is preparing to launch its latest satellite, Thaicom 9, into orbit by the end of this year, with a strategy focused on expanding its presence in the Indian market, according to CEO Patompob Suwansiri.
The company expects international revenue—particularly from India—to account for a greater share of its business in the years to come. Currently, domestic operations contribute about 60% of total revenue, with the remaining 40% sourced from overseas.
Looking ahead, Thaicom is closely monitoring the upcoming Universal Service Obligation phase three (USO 3) project, valued at approximately THB 5.1 billion. The first round of public hearings has concluded, and terms of reference (TOR) are expected by August, with a contract signing anticipated by late September.
The project is slated for partial delivery before the end of the year and will run for five years, though Thaicom’s final share in the contract remains uncertain.
Despite minor project delays in the first quarter, Mr. Patompob expressed confidence that the company will meet its full-year targets, driven by the ongoing rollout of USO phase 2 services, which began generating revenue in the second quarter of 2025.
Performance for the third quarter is expected to improve on the back of increased activity in India and a growing customer base. Utilization for Thaicom 8 currently stands at 65-70%, with full capacity expected in the future.
Thaicom aims to surpass last year’s revenue of THB 2.7 billion, reflecting business realignment and a growing client portfolio. The company also anticipates adding large enterprise customers once Thaicom 9 enters full operation. Second quarter 2025 earnings are scheduled for release in mid-August.
In its latest move to combat environmental challenges, Thaicom has launched a satellite-based platform—developed in partnership with the Ministry of Industry and the Office of the Cane and Sugar Board (OCSB)—designed to monitor sugarcane field burning using space technology and AI.
The platform, known as Burn Tracking, provides real-time dashboards tracking burn incidents, yield forecasts, and hotspots across mapped sugarcane plots, enabling fast and effective mitigation of PM2.5 particulate pollution.
Burn Tracking delivers geospatial data that can be exported in PDF and CSV formats, with updates and alert capabilities integrated via Line Official Account for instant access to officials and farmers.
OCSB Secretary-General Bainoi Suwanchatree highlighted the agency’s commitment to reforming the industry for the modern economy, with a particular focus on addressing PM2.5 pollution during the 2024/2025 harvest season.
The Board is aiming to cut the proportion of burned sugarcane fields to below 14% this year, a significant drop from over 30% in recent years, driven by advanced monitoring technology and stronger agricultural machinery support.
