BANGKOK: On Thursday (May 22) morning, users of the True Corporation Plc’s network across Thailand experienced a sudden and widespread service outage, affecting both mobile phone and home internet services in several areas.
The outage, which continued into the afternoon, caused major disruptions to work, communications, and online transactions. The hashtag #ทรูล่ม (True down) quickly began trending on social media, reflecting not just a technical failure but a growing crisis of confidence for one of Thailand’s largest telecom providers.
True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC) had previously completed Southeast Asia’s largest telecom merger, forming a combined market capitalization of approximately 294 billion baht.
At the time, True's top executives promised that the merger would create "endless opportunities" and immediate benefits for customers of both networks.
True positioned itself as a network leader, aiming to cover 98% of the Thai population with 5G by 2026, while continuing nationwide network expansion.
The merged entity officially registered under the name True Corporation Public Company Limited on March 1, 2023. This week marks the second anniversary of the merger.
Sigve Brekke, Group CEO of True Corporation, stated that the company has allocated a 28- to 30-billion-baht budget for network expansion in 2025.
"Two years into the merger, we have seen the combined strength of the two organizations drive solid and sustainable growth," he said.
True has now laid out three core missions: Building a trusted brand, developing AI innovations for all Thais, and fostering a customer-centric organisational culture.
“True has become a dominant player in Thailand’s telecommunications market — both in mobile and broadband. My goal is to make True a trusted and loved brand for everyone,” Brekke added. - The Nation/ANN
