Significant progress against terrorist and extremist online content

In a meeting held at the United Nations in New York recently, world leaders and tech companies have announced significant progress on the implementation of the Christchurch Call to Action to eliminate terrorist and extremist content online.

As reported, the meeting produced key outcomes. These are:

An overhaul of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) to make it an independent body that will drive much of the tech sector’s work on implementing the Call.
The launch of a new crisis response protocol, to be used by governments and tech companies in the wake of terrorist and violent extremist attacks to coordinate and to manage the online impacts of the attack.
The establishment of a Christchurch Call Advisory Network to advise on the implementation of the Call.
31 new countries and 2 organisations joined the Call bringing the total to 48 countries and 3 international organisations.

Background of the Initiative

The Call was launched in response to the 15 March terrorist attack in Christchurch where the murder of 51 people was broadcast live on the internet.

This has been copied and reposted millions of times at an unprecedented scale, in a deliberate effort to spread fear and compound the suffering of the victims.

The Internet was established to enable its users to create, to communicate, and to create value. It should remain as a domain that is open, free and secure.

States and companies must act together, with a shared sense of responsibility and respect for rights and freedoms, to combat the use of the internet for terrorist and violent extremist ends.

The Christchurch Call is not a traditional diplomatic initiative. Instead, it is an innovative, flexible coalition, dedicated to solving shared problems, which unites countries and tech companies.

On 15 May 2019, two months after, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron brought together Heads of State and Government and leaders from the tech sector to adopt the Christchurch Call to Action.

Seventeen countries, eight companies and the European Commission came together in a powerful demonstration of solidarity and a global commitment to prevent the exploitation of social media as a tool of terror.

Overhaul of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism

The new standalone GIFCT will have a dedicated structure and staffs to more capably carry out the business of disrupting terrorist and violent extremist use of member platforms.

As co-founders of the Christchurch Call, New Zealand and France will also help guide the work of the GIFCT as members of its new Independent Advisory Committee.

The relaunched GIFCT will do the following:

Go beyond its current mission and address both terrorist and violent extremist content online
Invest in new technology to counter this evolving problem
Promote alternative narratives and positive interventions
Perform a new crisis management function
Help increase understanding of how algorithms and other processes drive radicalisation
Invest in better understanding terrorist and violent extremist networks and modes of operation online
Assist smaller online platforms

New crisis response protocol

A new shared crisis response protocol has also been established to respond quickly and effectively to prevent abhorrent content from spreading in the wake of a terrorist attack.

The shared protocol is operationally ready and could be used immediately in the event of a terrorist attack like Christchurch, where an online response is required.

It establishes common thresholds for action, principles and standards for transparency and actions to be taken when thresholds are reached.

The shared protocol ensures coordinated and rapid action by online platforms to counteract the viral spread of terrorist content.

It is a living framework that will be regularly tested, assessed and updated.

Advisory Network to the Christchurch Call

Terrorist use of the Internet is a complex challenge. This cannot be navigated as governments and companies alone.

Insights and guidance from the expertise and goodwill residing in the wide array of civil society organisations, focused on these issues, are needed.

Civil society organisations have joined the Christchurch Call Advisory Network and are now listed on the Christchurch Call website.

Their work will help guarantee that a broad range of perspectives integrate and live up to the commitments in the Call around supporting human rights and online freedoms, as well as the rights of victims of terror.

New countries and organisations

In Paris, 17 countries and the European Commission declared their support for the Christchurch Call to Action.

Now, over six months on from the Christchurch attacks, support for the Call has grown by 31 more countries and two more international organisations.

It has significantly expanded to 48 countries and 3 international organisations.

The Christchurch Call emphasizes the importance of fighting against terrorist and violent extremist content online in a way consistent with principles of a free, open and secure internet, without compromising human rights.

Singapore, Indonesia Strengthen Ties

The Singapore-Indonesia Leaders’ Retreat is where Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently met Indonesian President Joko Widodo. This was Prime Minister Lee and President Joko Widodo’s sixth Leaders’ Retreat, and it was the first one to be held in Singapore since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both Leaders said again that Singapore and Indonesia are getting along very well. They both agreed that the relationship between the two countries had grown a lot during President Joko Widodo’s two terms in office. This gave them a solid foundation to work together in new ways that are deep, multifaceted, forward-looking, and good for both countries.

The Leaders were happy that all three agreements under the Expanded Framework had been ratified. These were the Agreement on the Realignment of the Boundary between the Jakarta Flight Information Region (FIR) and the Singapore FIR, the Treaty for the Extradition of Fugitives, and the Defense Cooperation Agreement.

The Leaders anticipated the next step of obtaining approval from the International Civil Aviation Organisation for the new arrangements under the FIR Agreement so that both countries could implement all three agreements at a mutually agreed upon date. The resolution of these long-standing issues demonstrates the maturity and strength of bilateral relations.

In addition, several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed by the two leaders to strengthen cooperation in various sectors. Renewable energy cooperation, sustainable urban and housing development, health cooperation, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building, and security and finance collaboration are among the MoUs.

These agreements are intended to improve knowledge-sharing and training, supplement existing expertise, and strengthen interpersonal ties between the two countries. The Leaders recognised the importance of continuing collaboration in traditional sectors like security and finance to build trust in their security and economic partnerships.

President Joko Widodo and Prime Minister Lee reaffirmed that bilateral relations are on a solid footing and agreed to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest that are sustainable and forward-looking. To this end, the Leaders’ Summit witnessed the signing of six MOUs in emerging sectors such as the digital economy, sustainability, and human capital development, as well as in traditional areas such as security.

The Leaders noted the growth of the digital economy in Singapore and Indonesia because of cooperative projects such as Nongsa Digital Park in Batam. The Leaders applauded the MOU between the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Indonesian Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs on the Tech:X Programme, which allows young tech professionals from both countries to pursue employment opportunities in the other country’s market. This will strengthen connections between the tech ecosystems of Singapore and Indonesia, allowing tech talent to pursue opportunities in the rapidly expanding digital economy.

Leaders concurred that bilateral cooperation should remain multifaceted and comprehensive. Recently, Singaporean and Indonesian businesses signed nine MOUs in the digital economy sector, including health technology and education technology. These are believed to strengthen commercial ties and augment bilateral cooperation in emerging sectors.

Prime Minister Lee and President Joko Widodo also discussed Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairmanship priorities. The two leaders discussed the situation in Myanmar and the path to membership for Timor-Leste.

The Prime Minister has reaffirmed Singapore’s total backing for Indonesia’s ASEAN Presidency. He thanked President Joko Widodo for his contributions to the bilateral relationship, and both Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advance the bilateral partnership.

New Zealand Plans to Advance Manufacturing Sector

Stuart Nash, New Zealand’s Minister for Economic Development, has unveiled an initiative to expand and modernise the country’s high-tech manufacturing industry rapidly. One of eight Industry Transformation Plans (ITPs) designed to boost productivity and performance in vital economic sectors is the Advanced Manufacturing ITP.

The plans lay out the steps that may be taken to increase innovation and productivity across the country, which in turn will lead to higher incomes and living standards without causing inflation. Every one of New Zealand benefits from the Plan, not only the areas that have been hit particularly hard by recent natural disasters.

About 10% of New Zealand GDP, 10% of the country’s employment, and 73.5% of its exports are all tied to the advanced manufacturing sector. Around half of these positions are outside of New Zealand’s major cities.

There is a lot of unrealised potential in the advanced manufacturing industry that might boost productivity, create high-paying employment, and aid in the shift towards a more environmentally friendly and competitive economy. “This plan lays out the steps necessary to get there,” Stuart Nash explained at the Plan’s launch in Auckland.

There is also widespread agreement that immediate action is needed to boost capital investment in innovative manufacturing and to train and recruit a diversified pool of workers capable of producing high-quality goods for high wages.

To get started on some of the Plan’s urgent recommendations, the government has allocated $30 million (about US$18.61 million). Included in this is $2.9 million (US$1,8 million) for company-specific support to achieve circular low-emissions manufacturing, $4 million (US$2.48 million) to upskill manufacturing workers in digital skills, and $3.65 million (US$2,26 million) for advice on adopting advanced technologies and processes.

Co-Chair of the Advanced Manufacturing ITP Steering Committee and CEO of the Employers and Manufacturers Association, Brett O’Riley, emphasised the need for a solid collaboration approach to the strategy.

He claims that with continued cooperation, New Zealand companies can develop innovative manufacturing capabilities on par with international leaders, increasing output and boosting earnings. Rachel Mackintosh, Vice President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, Assistant National Secretary of E T, and Co-Chair of the Advanced Manufacturing ITP Steering Committee, agreed.

According to her, the ITP will pave the way for more individuals to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing. New Zealand has the potential to tap into the innovative potential of its varied manufacturing workforce to create a prosperous and long-lasting manufacturing sector.

The manufacturing industry has recently seen a rise in the prevalence of “advance manufacture” initiatives. For example, at Batu Kawan, Penang, Malaysia, an EMS provider has declared intentions to build a Smart “Lights-Out” Factory 4.0. The plant will manufacture new 5G Advanced High-Speed Optical Signal Transmitter and Receiver Optical Modules. The plant will use photonics and semiconductor technologies via a technology transfer with its US-based client.

As part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a unique approach to employing machine learning to detect defects in metal components produced by additive manufacturing. Due to its potential for early flaw identification and defect prediction in 3D printed materials, the innovative technology has the potential to impact the additive manufacturing sector significantly.

Users can save time during inspection since the new technology can inform where pore flaws might be within the part, even if the building process isn’t halted. The team hopes to look at more sensors that can detect additive manufacturing mistakes in the future. Therefore, they need to build a system that can immediately identify and address production issues, educate end users on the nature of the problem and provide guidance on how to repair it.

Solving Singapore’s Urban Challenges with Geospatial Tech

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) is launching numerous new collaborations to address urban challenges by leveraging geospatial technology to facilitate data-driven decision-making and solutions. Geospatial technology is location-based technology that is widely used in areas such as mapping and road navigation and is a key enabler in supporting Singapore’s Smart Nation and sustainability initiatives.

Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, and Ministry of Transport, announced the new collaborations at the recently concluded Geo Connect Asia 2023. The Senior Minister was also present at the signing ceremonies for two SLA collaborations: the Container Depot and Logistics Association (Singapore) and the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

SLA has also begun its first bilateral collaboration with the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GEOSA), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of its efforts to foster international knowledge exchange and contribute their experiences in the use of geospatial data and technology.

The collaboration stems from both countries’ rapid urbanisation, which has resulted in an increased need to use geospatial data and technology in decision-making, as global cities face similar challenges that could benefit from shared solutions. The collaboration with GEOSA, which will last three years, will involve the exchange of knowledge and experiences on:

The development and management of national geospatial databases;
The use of technologies such as artificial intelligence, and machine learning in the development of digital twins;
Digital transformation in the geospatial industry; and
Development of geospatial products and services that will benefit citizens.

Also, the SLA will work with the Container Depot and Logistics Association (Singapore) to make it easier for heavy vehicles to get where they need to go. Companies that use these kinds of vehicles and their drivers will be able to plan their trips better and save time if they have more information. This means that the companies will save money because they will use less fuel and put out less carbon.

SLA has also been working with SG Enable and Gardens by the Bay to map routes that are easy for people in wheelchairs to use. This collaboration is part of SLA’s support for the Enabling Masterplan 2030, which describes Singapore’s goal of becoming a society that welcomes everyone by 2030.

In this project, information about barrier-free routes is collected and mapped in Bukit Merah and Gardens by the Bay. These routes have things like covered linkways for wheelchairs, ramps, footpaths, pedestrian crossings, and overhead bridges with lifts.

SLA has made a pilot testing app with barrier-free access routes for these two areas so that wheelchair users can give feedback and give ideas for making things better. In the next six months, improvements will be made to more testing areas in terms of data accuracy and ease of use. In the future, the barrier-free access routing function will be added to OneMap as an extra way to find your way, along with the public transportation, cycling, and driving modes that are already there.

SLA has been working with partners to get students excited about geospatial technologies and make them aware of how they can be used to solve everyday problems in the community.

Other projects like this include the annual Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Innovation Challenge, which is put on with the help of the Space Faculty, the annual Regional Geospatial Youth Forum, and the Young Geospatial Scientist workshop, which is put on with the help of the Singapore Science Centre.

Later this year, the government will announce new ways to help students learn. Through these projects, SLA wants geospatial data and capabilities to be used by everyone.

Hong Kong: Reducing Emissions with Tech

The HKSAR Government is dedicated to accomplishing carbon neutrality by 2050 through its proposed progressive and tailored decarbonisation tactics outlined in the “Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050”. To achieve this objective, the government is working to encourage active community involvement, with a pivotal emphasis on corporate engagement.

The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), in conjunction with the City University of Hong Kong’s School of Energy and Environment, conducted a survey to assess corporate awareness of carbon neutrality, current carbon reduction efforts, and challenges faced by the commercial and building-related sectors. The survey included both large corporations/organisations and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The findings indicate that while the majority of the corporations/organisations support the government’s decarbonisation policies, they lack professional knowledge of carbon neutrality, with less than 20% having established specific decarbonisation objectives. Furthermore, the high financial costs of low-carbon transformation and a lack of demand have made decarbonisation efforts challenging.

Conducted from October to December 2022, the survey received 122 responses, with 49% originating from large corporations/organisations and 51% from SMEs. Findings reveal that 72% of respondents lacked awareness of carbon neutrality and the “Hong Kong Climate Action Plan 2050” and Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Additionally, 66% had not conducted carbon audits or regularly evaluated greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, 81% had yet to establish carbon neutrality targets, and among the remaining 19%, less than half referenced international standards (43%) or addressed greenhouse gas emissions within their supply chains (48%). The data highlights an urgent need for corporations/organisations to enhance their professional knowledge and establish effective carbon reduction targets and plans.

The survey also examined factors affecting corporations/organisations in establishing carbon neutrality targets and implementing carbon reduction initiatives. The findings indicate that 90% of respondents consider enhancing brand image, reputation, and competitiveness as the main reasons for setting targets, followed by regulatory requirements (48%) and meeting customer demands (44%).

The remaining corporations/organisations that have yet to set targets cited a lack of external support (76%), relevance to business operations (73%), and insufficient awareness or knowledge (71%) as impediments. While 88% would implement carbon neutrality-related measures due to encouragement from business partners, roughly 45% consider a lack of resources or governance structures a hindrance.

The survey identified the top three challenges hindering carbon reduction efforts, with over 60% indicating “higher financial capital requirements,” “lack of price incentives to change current operating models,” and “lack of consumer and customer demand” as major obstacles towards achieving carbon neutrality.

Moreover, the survey provided insights into the requirements of corporations/organisations in attaining carbon neutrality, which can be classified into two categories: “financial/funding support” (78%) and “technical support.” The latter includes carbon neutrality assessment tools (62%), training (54%), consultancy services (52%), and green technologies (49%).

HKPC is aware of the requirements of industries and is dedicated to providing essential support to aid corporations/organisations in devising pragmatic emission reduction plans and initiatives and collaborating to prepare for attaining carbon neutrality.

The GM of HKPC’s Green Living and Innovation Division expressed that HKPC is actively creating comprehensive carbon evaluation tools to assist various industries in comprehending their greenhouse gas emissions and setting suitable carbon reduction targets.

Additionally, the organisation will provide additional capacity building and related advisory services while putting effort into R&D, incentivizing the application of low-carbon technologies across diverse sectors to expedite low-carbon transformation. Moreover, HKPC will maintain its close partnership with industries and support them in R&D, technology, and identifying appropriate funding programs to help all sectors stay abreast of the carbon neutrality trend.

According to the Associate Provost (Academic Affairs) & Professor of The School of Energy and Environment of the City University of Hong Kong, the collaboration with HKPC on the survey has yielded valuable reference data that reflects the actual needs of industries in the current trend towards carbon neutrality. This data will be beneficial to the government, universities, and related institutions in providing appropriate support to help industries prepare for new challenges and achieve carbon neutrality.

Integrating Budgeting Apps to Simplify Services in Indonesia

The Ministries of Finance and National Development Planning (Bappenas) and the National Development Planning Agency (PPN) have jointly released the Krisna Renja-Sakti synchronisation module. Together, these two tools reduce the number of actions required to disburse funds from 13 to 8.

Abdullah Azwar Anas, the Minister for Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform, felt that the move taken by the Ministry of Finance and Bappenas was a significant step forward in bureaucratic reform in the budget sector (PANRB).

“This is the SPBE layout plan. Creating efficient and straightforward software is a top priority for any government service integration initiative. The Finance Minister and Bappenas’s Chief are an example for other organisations that want to unify their various administrative processes,” Anas declared at the Krisna Renja – Sakti synchronisation module launch in Jakarta.

Indonesia’s Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, has made it clear that implementing Krisna-Sakti will streamline budgeting, obtaining funds, and reporting expenditures for the country’s numerous government agencies. As an added request, she asked that the Ministry of Finance and Bappenas make Krisna-Sakti fully interoperable and streamline standard operating processes.

I emphasised that streamlining our administration is the hardest part,” Sri observed. “If our nation’s bureaucracy is to foster creative problem-solving, how can this be accomplished?” she chimed in.

The Ministry of Finance and Bappenas are committed to continuing their efforts to improve services to ministries/agencies to bring about a more developed and rich Indonesian people and nation. To Sri, this was the first step in fixing and coordinating these two essential applications used by all branches of government. All government agencies and academic research facilities must get the blessing of Krisna and Sakti before they may receive funds.

Suharso Monoarfa, Minister of PPN and Head of Bappenas, has said that this synchronisation made the increased transparency and accountability in planning and budgeting possible. He is confident that his company will be able to effectively curb unnecessary expenditures and quickly readjust course as needed throughout the introduction of new development plans.

Also, the app was built following the National SPBE Architecture Perpres Regulation’s mandate to minimise redundant efforts and make the most of existing ones. The PANRB-prioritised Ministry has stated that combining Krisna and Sakti improves the E-Government infrastructure (SPBE).

The government’s apps have been updated and digitised as part of the consolidated and standardised Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE). Because it is a necessary measure in the battle against corruption, the government of Indonesia backs the system.

Anas noted that nations with advanced levels of e-government, such as Denmark and Finland, also tend to have low levels of perceived corruption. Therefore, he reasoned that full SPBE implementation would be the solution because Indonesia’s score on the Corruption Perceptions Index (GPA) has reduced from 38 in 2021 to 34 in 2022.

Since Presidential Regulation 132/2022 on the National Electronic-Based Government System Architecture was passed, SPBE deployment in Indonesia has been regulated by law. To improve the standard of public services, the government has committed to speeding up the process of integrating business processes, data and information, SPBE infrastructure, SPBE applications, and SPBE security.

Deputy Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairperson Alexander Marwata believes SPBE can root out corruption in Indonesia. According to him, extortion, bribery, and other forms of crime may be avoided, and government services to the public can be enhanced using technical assistance and the honesty of public officials.

The Ministry of PANRB also increases SPBE’s use in the public sector through the Digital Public Service Mall (MPP). This one system will consolidate a wide range of governmental operations at all levels, from the federal to the state and local.

Machine Learning for More Efficient Hash Functions

Machine learning has helped researchers from MIT and elsewhere to explore the possibility of building a better hash function. Their findings reveal how database searches can be optimised with a custom-designed hash function.

Researchers discovered that data collisions might be reduced by employing trained models instead of standard hash functions. Learned models are produced by applying a machine-learning algorithm to a dataset to identify key features. The trials performed by MIT researchers and elsewhere also showed that learnt models were frequently more computationally efficient than ideal hash functions.

“In this study, we discovered that there are circumstances in which it is possible to find a more optimal compromise between the time required to compute the hash function and the likelihood of collisions. In these cases, the computation time for the hash function can be increased a little. Still, at the same time, its collisions can be significantly reduced,” Ibrahim Sabek, a postdoc in the MIT Data Systems Group of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the paper’s co-lead authors asserted.

Because hashing is used in many contexts, including database indexing, data compression and cryptography, hash functions must be quick and efficient. Several online databases use hashing, such as library catalogues and e-commerce websites. Codes produced by a hash function indicate the data’s potential storage location. It is hence less demanding to seek out and get the information when employing these codes.

Traditional hash algorithms create codes arbitrarily. Therefore, two data bits can have the same hash, which leads to collisions. The collisions occur when a user tries to find a piece of specific information but receives results for many files with the same hash value. It takes a lot more time to zero down on the correct one, which slows down searches and decreases performance.

Perfect hash functions are a class of hashing algorithms optimised to insert data in a way that eliminates the possibility of collisions. However, they are labour-intensive to build for each dataset and slower to calculate than regular hash functions. With this new information, it should be possible to decrease the number of accidents. Thus, the method might speed up computing systems used by scientists to store and evaluate biological information like DNA, amino acid sequences, and so on.

Learned models may reduce the proportion of collisions in a dataset from 30% to 15% when data are distributed reliably, compared to conventional hash functions. They even managed to outperform ideal hash algorithms in terms of performance. Learned models can cut execution time by as much as 30% in the best circumstances.

Throughput was shown to be primarily affected by the total number of sub-models when researchers investigated the usage of trained models for hashing. Each trained model is made up of several simpler linear models, each of which provides an approximation of some portion of the data distribution. The learnt model’s approximation improves with additional sub-models, albeit at the cost of increased processing time.

A minimum number of sub-models must be used to construct the approximation required for the hash function. As a result, Sabek believes that the benefits of this approach of reducing collisions will plateau beyond a certain point.

Researchers aim to extend this work by applying learnt models to create hash functions for new data classes. The group also intends to investigate learnt hashing for transactional databases. This type of data update necessitates a model revision. However, revising a model without sacrificing accuracy is challenging.

“We’d want to inspire the community to include machine learning into their standard algorithms and data structures. Then, we can apply machine learning to capture data attributes better and achieve higher performance with virtually any fundamental data structure. “There is still a lot we can investigate,” Sabek added.

Thailand Expands Smart City and Digital Economy Initiatives to 3 Provinces

Three provinces in Thailand – Phetchaburi, Chai Nat and Ratchaburi – have been urged to execute the swift implementation of the country’s smart city and digital economy initiatives. The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) met with directors and representatives from each region to promote the proposed rules.

The committee met with Wanpen Mangsri, the Deputy Governor of Phetchaburi, and other government authorities. A discussion of the Phetchaburi Digital Economy Promotion Plan Draft No. 1/2023 was on the agenda for the meeting. Twenty representatives from local organisations (both governmental and private) were present together with Apichatbut Rodyang, the Director of depa for the Central and Eastern Area.

At the conference, attendees gave the green light to a proposal to boost the province of Phetchaburi’s digital economy. The summit also tasked the relevant agencies with working together to enhance the indicators to reflect the agencies’ goals more closely and help advance development challenges in all four domains.

Apichatbutr proposed strategies for future collaboration with government bodies. For the province to make tangible progress towards becoming the next smart city by driving the promotion and use of technology and digital innovation among business organisations, communities, farmers, students, and people.

Wanphen has said that the provincial office and depa would work together to polish the substance of the draught plan to enhance the digital economy in Phetchaburi Province. The proposal will be discussed and hopefully approved at the upcoming meeting of the Integrated Provincial Administration Committee (Bor.Bor.Jor).

A similar meeting was also carried out in Chainat City. The Chai Nat Provincial Municipal League arranged the “Preparation for the smart city development plan” forum. In the meeting, Pornchai Homchuen, Assistant Director General of Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) in collaboration with Acting Sub Lt. Sarayut Boonlertkul, President of the Institute for Digital Economy and Society Development in the People’s Sector was attended as a guest speaker.

Jesada Si Phi Nong, Mayor of Chainat City, elaborated the meeting aims to create cooperation in pushing for the upgrading of municipal areas into areas for development, driving smart cities, and preparing local government organisations for digital transformation. The meeting was designed supports access system to government administration and service under the action of a smart city and the process of preparing for the proposal to be considered as a smart city, with Pornchai and his team giving advice.

Jesada said that upgrading municipal areas in Chainat Province to become part of the smart city development is a challenge for local governments. Because it requires a collaborative integration process, it must have a development partnership approach. In this regard, depa is ready to drive local government organisations in the Chai Nat province to continue the Smart City effort.

Moreover, Deputy Governor Warittha Sanguansermsri presided over the Ratchaburi Provincial Digital Promotion Plan meeting. At the meeting, she discussed with representatives from several organisations a proposed strategy to boost the province of Ratchaburi’s digital economy.

Concrete progress had been made with the help of Seksan Phanboonmee, Head of the Digital Economy Strategy Department Policy and Strategy Department and Rapeepat Numnaphol, Central Region Branch Manager, depa and the provincial executives. Watchara Ngamdee, Ratchaburi Province’s Statistician; Panadda Pengpan, Provincial Office Head; Sommai Sanlaad, National Telecommunications Public Company Ltd, also pushing the development of smart cities (Smart City) and discussing future collaboration.

Warittha expressed satisfaction that the depa recognised the potential of Ratchaburi Province. As Ratchaburi is situated on the plain of the Mae Klong River, most of its inhabitants work in agriculture. Nonetheless, government employees in Ratchaburi are ready to create a preliminary strategy to advance the province’s digital economy.

She reassured the provincial office to allocate an action plan and set up a meeting with the appropriate organisations to discuss it. The Integrated Provincial Administration Committee (B.P.E.) arrangement will review, approve, and incorporate the finalised draught into the provincial development plan.

The interaction helped to strengthen the programme and make it more thorough.

March 22, 2023

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Significant progress against terrorist and extremist online content

Singapore, Indonesia Strengthen Ties

New Zealand Plans to Advance Manufacturing Sector

Solving Singapore’s Urban Challenges with Geospatial Tech

Hong Kong: Reducing Emissions with Tech

Integrating Budgeting Apps to Simplify Services in Indonesia

Machine Learning for More Efficient Hash Functions

Thailand Expands Smart City and Digital Economy Initiatives to 3 Provinces

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