Chavalit confirms U.S. satellite deal

Chavalit confirms U.S. satellite deal

BANGKOK (DPA): Thailand has agreed to grant the United States
use of its satellite orbital slots in exchange for free use of
six transponders on a U.S. satellite, Thai Prime Minister
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said yesterday.

Chavalit claimed that Thailand would soon sign a memorandum of
understanding with the United States which would guarantee the
government or Thai military free use of the satellite.

The prime minister's claim apparently contradicted an earlier
statement made by Lieutenant General Aran Shomphisal, director of
Thailand's Defense Space Center, who told reporters Monday that
leasing the U.S transponders would cost 15 billion baht (US$600
million).

Even that expenditure would be considerably less than the
military's initial proposal to invest 28 billion baht in its own
satellite, for both intelligence-gathering and commercial
purposes.