Thailand’s telecom regulator, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), has announced plans to launch a budget mobile package—known as the ‘Blue Flag’ package—priced at two hundred and ten baht per month by the final quarter of 2025.

Acting Secretary-General Trairat Viriyasirikul confirmed that the NBTC is drafting final proposals and fee structures encompassing both voice calls and internet access. These will be presented for public consultation in due course. The initial minimum price was slated at two hundred and forty baht, but was revised to two hundred and ten baht in recognition of affordability and market viability—even while respecting the original pricing framework .

The new tier will serve as an entry-level plan, focused on essential communication services—voice and high-speed mobile internet—while excluding SMS and MMS, whose usage has significantly declined. Average revenue per user (ARPU) data has informed pricing to strike a balance between cost and access .

To promote consumer choice and competitive fairness, operators will be required to offer two variants of the Blue Flag package: a pay-per-use option and a monthly flat-rate option .

Trairat emphasized that these reforms are designed not merely to lower prices, but to reflect actual operating costs, enhance pricing transparency, and improve market efficiency. The NBTC will proceed with drafting the regulation for approval through established legislative procedures .

In response to market analysis, a securities firm has indicated that the Blue Flag package is unlikely to affect the major mobile operators' profitability significantly, due to its limited uptake and modest market share. Consumers may opt for alternative prepaid packages at similar price points that offer greater data allowances .

These reforms form part of a broader regulatory update, revising a tariff structure that has remained largely unchanged since 2020 in light of market consolidation and evolving consumer behaviour. Thailand’s mobile market is now dominated by two major operators alongside a minor state-owned provider .

By introducing affordable, streamlined plans, the NBTC aims to expand access to essential telecom services while encouraging fairer competition and improving operational transparency in the telecom sector.