Thailand Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) and a Chinese multinational technology company announced the launch of the Thailand 5G Ecosystem Innovation Center (5G EIC) in Bangkok, the aim is to accelerate 5G innovation through ecosystem collaboration and boost the digital economy.
The centre will serve as a sandbox for the development of digital innovations for 5G applications and services across various industries in Thailand. These innovations will create new business opportunities for SMEs, start-ups and educational institutions, enabling Thailand to become a digital hub of the ASEAN region.
On behalf of Prime Minister, the Minister of Digital Economy and Society delivered the keynote speech themed “Incubating 5G Ecosystem to Support the Digital Transformation of Thailand 4.0” at the opening ceremony.
He noted that Thailand is taking a crucial step toward moving into a new socio-economic era. It is among the first countries in ASEAN to be on track to adopt 5G technology, which not only offers innovative services and seamless experiences but is also reshaping all industries toward digitalization.
According to the minister, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has come up with the ‘Action Plan to Leverage 5G Technology’ as a guideline and mechanism to ensure that 5G can be most effectively utilized in all aspects.
Thailand’s 5G EIC is empowered by the Chinese tech giant with their global leading technologies, experiences and know-how. The Minister noted that 5G EIC is a milestone that will inspire the adoption of 5G technology in Thailand. This crucial step will urge digital transformation in all industries, paving the way to achieve Thailand 4.0, creating new value and opportunities, while also enhancing Thailand’s potential as a leader in digital development in the region.
Thailand 5G EIC, located at the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), provided a testbed for use cases such as 5G Medical Care, 5G Smart Agriculture, 5G Port, 5G Remote Education and 5G Smart Security, and more. It is designed to accelerate the 5G ecosystem and incubate local digital SMEs and start-ups to embrace technologies such as Cloud, AI, and IoT in the digital transformation. The 5G EIC will also cultivate Thailand ICT talent and upgrade digital skills to meet global standards.
During the ceremony, depa also announced the “Thailand 5G Ecosystem Partnership Alliance.”
The President and CEO of depa noted that the agency aims to drive Thailand towards the digital economy. Thailand 5G EIC will bring together an international alliance network to drive Thailand digital innovations in the long run. Therefore, the collaboration between depa and global leading companies like the Chinese tech firm in establishing 5G EIC will greatly enrich the ecosystem.
At the ceremony, the Chinese tech giant revealed its THB475 million plan for 5G EIC, which will include its leading 5G equipment and solutions, and worldwide partners to Thailand. The tech company vowed to incubate over 100 local SMEs and start-ups annually to adopt 5G solutions for different vertical industries in three years.
The 5G EIC will be firstly launched in Thailand among ASEAN countries, it marks an important milestone for the 5G development in the country and even in the region, the CEO of the firm’s Thailand branch noted. He added that it is a great honour to be one of the initiators and the main partner of the visionary project. The firm is fully committed to nurturing the 5G ecosystem and support the Thailand 4.0 initiative with the global leading experiences and resources.
