Thailand Post Co. Ltd. (Thailand Post) is developing a proof
of concept (PoC) for information transmission utilising the nationwide postal
network as a reliable way to deliver public administrative information to Thai
nationals. Thailand Post, which is a Thai government-owned enterprise under the
supervision of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hitachi Ltd. (Hitachi) and Hitachi Asia
(Thailand) Co. Ltd. (Hitachi Asia (Thailand)) for the same.
This is in line with the Thailand 4.0 policy to establish advanced
economic infrastructure and achieving further economic development. In the area
of postal services, Thailand Post announced
a series of initiatives in August 2017, to move towards Thailand Post 4.0, in
line with the government’s Thailand 4.0 drive. This includes the application of
technology and innovation to the system in all processes, including deposit,
sorting, forwarding and delivering for enhanced operational efficiency, as well
as steps to support and promote the growth of the digital economy.
In addition, MDES has been working with the Ministry of
Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan (MIC) regarding postal services. In
FY 2016, MIC conducted a research project that suggested that utilising the
postal network for the purpose of public administrative services could be
effective in addressing the digital divide and bridging the information gap.
Subsequently in June 2017, the Minister of MIC and the
Minister of MDES inked a MoU in the field of information, communication and
digital technology, including postal services. MIC was to conduct research
related to the delivery of pubic administrative information via Thailand's
postal network to Thai nationals.
Hitachi has now received the contract to conduct this
research and it will develop the PoC. Hitachi has extensive experience and
expertise in developing and providing systems for postal and other public
services in Japan.
Under the project, Thailand Post will introduce an
experimental digital post, an electronic mailbox system for receiving
electronic documents from senders. When the user is successfully authenticated,
he/she will be allowed to browse and store electronic documents on the system.
This is intended to enable users to receive notifications from the state
agencies of Thailand through their computers and smartphones, as an alternative
to hard copy deliveries. The PoC will also accommodate the outsourced mail
printing service.
Studies will be conducted on the needs associated with various
types of public administrative information and notifications from private
companies, such as direct mail and invoices, to determine the feasibility of
specific Thailand Post services designed specifically to deliver such
notifications.
The results of the PoC will be utilised to consider alternative
approaches to design new services and improve Thailand Post’s business operations.
The Thai government is promoting the Eastern Economic
Corridor (EEC) development plan as one of the key measures to realise the Thailand
4.0 vision.
Hitachi and the EEC Office entered
into a collaboration agreement on the use of IoT technologies in the EEC
Development Plan in Thailand in September 2017.
Based on the agreement, Hitachi has started considering the
establishment of bases from which to deploy Lumada, Hitachi's IoT platform, and
is strengthening efforts to provide digital solutions throughout Thailand and
the ASEAN region.
