America’s Globalstar will provide satellite services in Thailand

Low earth orbit satellite operator Globalstar of the U.S. has won approval from Thailand’s regulators to provide satellite services in the Kingdom in partnership with local satellite firm Thaicom, the company announced last week.

Aside from the low earth orbit (LEO) satellite services, Louisiana-based Globalstar will also be permitted to build and operate a ground tracking station at Thaicom’s Teleport Center in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok.

Thailand has had a presence in space since the early 1990s. At that time, the Kingdom started purchasing, deploying and operating satellites with private-sector companies such as Thaicom taking the lead. Today, as the Kingdom’s policymakers are guiding the economy towards more advanced development, high-technology sectors such as aerospace and space technology are among the priority sectors, opening up new opportunities for investors.

“Globalstar is the first and only LEO constellation of satellites to be authorized to provide service in the Kingdom of Thailand,” said L. Barbee Ponder, Globalstar General Counsel and Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.

Patompob Suwansiri, Thaicom’s Chief Executive Officer said that the collaboration is a strategic move in expanding their portfolio of cooperation with a leading global LEO operator which will complement our existing satellite services. Patompob believes that this strategic alliance between the two companies will lay the foundation for a long-term relationship and sustainable growth in the satellite industry in this region.

Ponder of Globalstar, the new ground station at Thaicom’s Teleport Center, will be part of a network of 27 other stations in 17 countries that provide mobile satellite services, including critical Emergency SOS communications, to hundreds of millions of people.

Photo courtesy of https://www.thaicom.net/thaicom-announces-leo-satellite-partnership-with-globalstar/