Date: 1/22/2008 1:36:57 PM

Thai mobile phone operator, Advanced Info Service (AIS), and its parent company, SingTel, are negotiating with Apple to bring the popular iPhone handset to Thailand.

“We are negotiating on details, including a revenue sharing standard. Apple needs a local operator to promote iPhone,” confirmed AIS’ assistant vice president of wireless business marketing, Prattana Leelapanang.

Apple’s existing revenue sharing model is unlikely to work in Thailand, according to AIS’ Chief Marketing Officer, Sanchai Thiewprasertkul, meaning that negotiations with Apple will likely prove complicated. Some 90% of Thai mobile phone customers use prepaid airtime, a different situation from many European and North American markets where postpaid services dominate.

Thousands of iPhones have already been smuggled into Thailand, where they are being sold on the black market for about 22,000 Thai Baht (US$715).

Source: http://www.teleclick.ca/2008/01/aisintalkswithappletobringiphonetothailand/