It must be said that as 2026 begins, it seems a 'Zodiac Conflict Year (Pee Chong)' is seriously affecting communication sector stocks, leading many to wonder if this really is such a year.
Looking back to last week, there was a hot issue involving TRUE shares soon after Telenor exited Thailand by selling its shares to Rice Digital Technology Company Limited, owned by Supachai Chearavanont, causing the stock price to plunge as much as -13.40%.
Today, another hot issue shook the major stock ADVANC after reports surfaced of illegal internet signal leakage near the Thai-Cambodian border, undermining investor confidence and causing the share price to drop sharply by more than 6 baht, or -1.71%, to 345 baht at this morning's market open.
This issue escalated on 23 January 2026, when an internet signal transmission box was detected in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province, with cables connected across the border to Cambodia.
Naturally, this is a sensitive matter often linked to gray businesses or call center gangs, so when the market opened this morning (26 Jan 2026), concerns immediately reflected in the stock price.
ADVANC opened the market at 346.00 baht, down 5.00 baht or -1.42% from the previous day's closing price.
However, Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (ADVANC) confirmed that the detected illegal internet connection from Thailand to abroad was caused by a service user violating terms and relevant laws. The company affirmed strict compliance with laws, regulations, and regulatory agency requirements, including the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), and continues to cooperate with government agencies to monitor border network usage regularly with systems detecting abnormal usage behavior.
Regarding this case, Advanced Wireless Network Company Limited, a subsidiary, immediately suspended the signal connection per official orders, terminated the service contract, and filed legal action against the offender.
The company stated that this incident does not affect its business operations or financial position, reaffirmed its commitment to operating with public safety and national security as priorities, and stands ready to fully cooperate with relevant authorities going forward.
Nattapon Kamthakrua, Assistant Managing Director, Securities Analysis, Yuanta Securities (Thailand) gave his opinion to "Thairath Money" that the issue involving ADVANC shares concerns unauthorized use by a service user, with the company being a victim and not directly involved.
However, the market may view ADVANC’s share price as having risen to a high level, so even minor negative news can trigger a short-term price drop. At the same time, some investors might switch to investing in TRUE shares, which have already declined due to their own factors.
Communication stocks have long been the "market leaders" of the Thai stock market. It is not unusual for their prices to experience occasional slowdowns. In 2025, this sector outperformed the market by about 10%, and in 2024, it delivered returns around 30%, reflecting its long-term status as an outperforming stock group.
Looking at fundamentals, growth opportunities remain, supported by lower spectrum costs and reduced interest expenses. Although revenues remain stable, companies in this group can still improve profitability.
It is estimated that in 2026, ADVANC’s profits will grow by around 14%, while TRUE is expected to grow about 30% compared to the previous year. Therefore, this is not considered a 'Zodiac Conflict Year (Pee Chong)'.
Another highlight of communication stocks is their dividend yield, which stands around 4.5-4.7%, higher than the Thai stock market average of approximately 4.2%, making them large-cap stocks offering attractive dividend returns.
Although share prices have declined recently, this is offset by attractive valuations that are not yet expensive, combined with positive earnings trends ahead, making medium- to long-term investment outlooks still appealing. Short-term negative factors may be only temporary pressure and could offer opportunities to gradually accumulate shares in this group.
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