Thailand’s highest court ordered a lower bench to accept a lawsuit filed by a local consumer group against the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) for allowing a controversial merger of True Corp and dtac to proceed.

In a statement, True acknowledged the Supreme Administrative Court ruled the Foundation for Consumers can proceed with a complaint filed against the regulator in March, with the case to be reviewed by the Administrative Courts of First Instance.

The group argued the merger harms consumers and its lawsuit seeks to overturn an NBTC resolution in 2022 which stated the regulator had no authority to approve or disapprove the merger. 

True stated the lawsuit will not affect its business operation, noting the merger has been completed and “proceeded in accordance with all relevant laws”.

The merger made True the largest operator in Thailand by mobile connections, with GSMA Intelligence putting its tally at 44.4 million at end-September.