Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES), stated that his ministry and relevant parties had hastened the implementation of numerous critical initiatives for the benefit of the Thailand people during the last year.
DES has built the Government Central Cloud Service System to aid in the development and sustainability of digital services. At the same time, community public internet service projects are underway to eliminate inequity in access to technology via online networks, such as encouraging the growth of e-commerce, start-ups, smart cities, digital IDs and digital post IDs.
The ministry delivered virtual machines to government entities through the Government Data Centre and Cloud Service (GDCC) programme. Other GDCC services to government entities include AI, IoT, and Open Data.
The cloud service system project was inaugurated in September 2022. Currently, 219 departments, 874 departments, and 3,065 work systems in government cloud services. The GDCC is assisting the government in saving up to 30-60% of the budget, and the government intends to transform all government departments into 100% digital government.
To better the ability to obtain public information, DES has hastened the construction of the technological infrastructure system to support people’s use and decrease disparities in accessing information through computer networks or online. The data shows that until September 30, 2022, the free internet is available to the public in 8,246 countries.
The National Big Data Institute (NBDi) will also be established, subject to cabinet approval. They are also preparing to present the National Digital Economy and Society Commission with a master plan to promote the digital economy Phase 2 (2023-2027). Simultaneously, Thai digital start-ups are being encouraged and the effort is expected to establish 142 enterprises.
The government promised the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2019 for personal data protection (PDPA). The Personal Data Protection Regulation and Cross-Border Data Transfer are defined in the statute enacted to protect private data rights. As a result, it is critical to maintain citizens’ interest and safety in the internet world.
The regulations follow international standards and are widely acknowledged worldwide. After it is implemented, the guidelines will assist Thailand in boosting confidence in international trade, increasing cross-border internet trading and fostering other forms of cooperation with foreign countries. There are also proposals to issue a legal document to empower anti-corruption institutions to prevent illegal online transactions and cybercrime.
Ministry DES has fuelled the growth of smart cities around the country. Thailand’s smart initiative includes 30 cities, 61 smart city promotion zones in 33 provinces and the creation of 166 new generations to build their hometowns (Smart Local Ambassadors) in collaboration with 201 city leaders.
Regarding the Digital ID push, the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) has cooperated with seven agencies in building the Digital ID framework Phase 1, which integrates partnerships between government agencies and private sectors. In addition, the government has prioritised promoting Thai people to develop and use Digital ID to raise their competitiveness to worldwide standards.
The Ministry of DES has devised a strategy to enhance infrastructure to enable digital innovation for the digital post-ID initiative. According to the Digital Economy Promotion Master Plan (2018-2022), there is an idea known as “Digital Post ID: Digital Post ID” to alter the form of addressing information into a digital address. Thailand Post Co., Ltd. (Thailand Post) has been tasked with carrying out a project to expand from five-digit postal codes.
The digital post ID improved delivery efficiency by converting it into coordinates of persons in Thailand down to the household level. The technology is being tested and is planned to be available by the second quarter of 2023. The ministry expected everybody will have their own easy-to-remember digital post ID instead of writing the same address all over the country by 2024.
