Thailand has potential to become digital innovation hub

[webfact]

START-UP
Thailand has potential to become digital innovation hub
Jon Eddy Abdullah

BANGKOK: -- I believe if all mobile operators collectively support and hand start-ups an opportunity to create and develop applications or solutions that are useful and make our lives more convenient, easier and faster, Thailand in the near future could become a digital innovation hub.

This year, dtac Accelerate has teams of participating start-ups who have amazing and innovative products. Some of them started out by trying to find a problem and finding the best way to resolve it.

The creator of Drivebot encountered a problem himself while driving in a car with his dad. A few minutes after driving out of his house, the red "Check Engine" light came on and he had no idea what to do.

The service manual suggested that he contact the dealer, but he wanted to figure out what went wrong first.

So he turned off the engine and restarted the car. The red light went off and the car was driven with no problems. At that point he thought there should be a tool to help car owners analyse car problems.

The Check Engine light is a warning of up to a thousand possible problems with the car, and gives an average car owner zero chance of working out what is happening.

After being inspired to create a tool to help car owners analyse a problem themselves, make a decision and save money, Drivebot developed a device called Fitbit for cars that connects to a mobile application on smartphones. It helps car owners save time and money in car maintenance, take better care of their car, and extend its operating life.

As we know, the new Thai generation is very technology savvy, and Thailand has over 20 million social media users.

Our smartphone penetration is growing so rapidly that technology-wise, Thai users have whatever people in other countries have. Additionally, our country is one of the top countries in the world in terms of the number of social media users.

I believe that Thai start-ups have the potential to grow and form one of strongest communities for start-ups in the region.

From my work experience in the telecom industry in Malaysia, the Czech Republic, Pakistan and Thailand, I think it is the right time for start-ups here as the country has experienced exponential growth in technology during the past two to three years.

In 2013, mobile internet usage jumped almost two times from 18.4 per cent a year earlier to 31.9 per cent. Bangkok has the most Facebook users in the world, with over eight million users out of a population of 10 million.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Siam Paragon are the top two most popular shared places on Instagram.

Line recently revealed that Thailand was its second-largest market, with more than 24 million users.

The extreme growth of internet and online application usage is largely the result of lower prices for smartphones, improved network quality and coverage, and increasingly popular social applications such as Line and Facebook. These are all the reasons why start-ups should focus on mobile applications and online services.

Online services reach a wide range of users and create an excellent opportunity for start-ups to connect with their customers and to market and sell their products and services.

Jon Eddy Abdullah is chief executive officer of dtac.


-- The Nation 2014-06-24

[eeworldwide]

Look, why doesn't Thailand just become a COMEDY Hub, and have done with it?

[Fiddlesticks]

They also have the POTENTIAL to become the intellectual hub, the morality hub, or the integrity hub as well but none of us are holding our breath!

[EricBerg]

"The service manual suggested that he contact the dealer, but he wanted to figure out what went wrong first.
So he turned off the engine and restarted the car. The red light went off and the car was driven with no problems. At that point he thought there should be a tool to help car owners analyse car problems."

Absolutely brilliant and innovative.

"Our smartphone penetration is growing so rapidly that technology-wise, Thai users have whatever people in other countries have. Additionally, our country is one of the top countries in the world in terms of the number of social media users."

"Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Siam Paragon are the top two most popular shared places on Instagram."

And because all of that Thailand can become the digital innovation hub. No need to radically improve a failed educational system from bottom to top. No sir.

Where do they keep finding jokers like this? Thailand surely must be the hub of nonsense.

Edited June 24, 2014 by EricBerg

[NongKhaiKid]

Another ' hub ' story.

The world truly does revolve around Thailand not the sun.

[givenall]

START-UP

Thailand has potential to become digital innovation hub

Jon Eddy Abdullah

BANGKOK: -- I believe if all mobile operators collectively support and hand start-ups an opportunity to create and develop applications or solutions that are useful and make our lives more convenient, easier and faster, Thailand in the near future could become a digital innovation hub.

This year, dtac Accelerate has teams of participating start-ups who have amazing and innovative products. Some of them started out by trying to find a problem and finding the best way to resolve it.

The creator of Drivebot encountered a problem himself while driving in a car with his dad. A few minutes after driving out of his house, the red "Check Engine" light came on and he had no idea what to do.

The service manual suggested that he contact the dealer, but he wanted to figure out what went wrong first.

So he turned off the engine and restarted the car. The red light went off and the car was driven with no problems. At that point he thought there should be a tool to help car owners analyse car problems.

The Check Engine light is a warning of up to a thousand possible problems with the car, and gives an average car owner zero chance of working out what is happening.

After being inspired to create a tool to help car owners analyse a problem themselves, make a decision and save money, Drivebot developed a device called Fitbit for cars that connects to a mobile application on smartphones. It helps car owners save time and money in car maintenance, take better care of their car, and extend its operating life.

As we know, the new Thai generation is very technology savvy, and Thailand has over 20 million social media users.

Our smartphone penetration is growing so rapidly that technology-wise, Thai users have whatever people in other countries have. Additionally, our country is one of the top countries in the world in terms of the number of social media users.

I believe that Thai start-ups have the potential to grow and form one of strongest communities for start-ups in the region.

From my work experience in the telecom industry in Malaysia, the Czech Republic, Pakistan and Thailand, I think it is the right time for start-ups here as the country has experienced exponential growth in technology during the past two to three years.

In 2013, mobile internet usage jumped almost two times from 18.4 per cent a year earlier to 31.9 per cent. Bangkok has the most Facebook users in the world, with over eight million users out of a population of 10 million.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Siam Paragon are the top two most popular shared places on Instagram.

Line recently revealed that Thailand was its second-largest market, with more than 24 million users.

The extreme growth of internet and online application usage is largely the result of lower prices for smartphones, improved network quality and coverage, and increasingly popular social applications such as Line and Facebook. These are all the reasons why start-ups should focus on mobile applications and online services.

Online services reach a wide range of users and create an excellent opportunity for start-ups to connect with their customers and to market and sell their products and services.

Jon Eddy Abdullah is chief executive officer of dtac.

-- The Nation 2014-06-24

Woo another hub

Sent from my C1904 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[stickyrice2000]

Thailand is the hub of all hubs. When I see the word 'hub' anywhere, I will think of Thailand as the successor.

[TimCM]

They also have the POTENTIAL to become the intellectual hub, the morality hub, or the integrity hub as well but none of us are holding our breath!

As soon as they find a translation dictionary to work out what all those big words mean.

Then they can be a translation hub too

[jaltsc]

"Thailand in the near future could become a digital innovation hub."

I returned a HDMI cable to the biggest electronic/computer chain stores because it was damaged when I opened the package. I was informed that the warranty was "only valid if the item is working and is not broke"

If they can't get the basic concepts of customer service together, how do they expect to be anything but the hub of "heads up their a---s"?

Edited June 24, 2014 by jaltsc

[Seastallion]

20 million social media users and millions of smart phone operators does not in the slightest infer 20 million critical thinkers or logical thinkers capable of developing software.

Try making Thailand the hub of childhood education first. You need to be able to crawl before you can walk, let alone run.

[worgeordie]

First thought would be to check the oil and water levels,maybe that

would be too easy, so invent an app,!

regards Worgeordie

[englishoak]

Thailand has potential to become digital innovation hub ......

Shouldnt that read wannabe digital suppression hub ?

[losworld]

Anybody have a "hub cap"?

[keeniau96]

Fer sure, and then TH will surpass SIngapore. At least that was the public stated goal about 6-8 years ago.

[Emster23]

I thought it fairly innovative when they put the three middle digits of hand together for non verbal communication, but then found they borrowed from Hollywood movie who took from youth training organization.

[Thaddeus]

Anybody have a "hub cap"?

How about spinning rims.

Sounds good at the time, gets attention at first, but becomes tat after examination.

[Misterwhisper]

With all its efforts at reforming and cleaning up the country, I wish the NCPO also would forthwith ban the use of the word "hub" in local media.

Every time I read headlines containing it (and that's on average a dozen times each week) I either throw up my morning coffee or suffer a violent laughing seizure, rolling and twitching on the floor. Overuse of the word "hub" is obviously detrimental to one's well-being.

[ronthai]

That's all folks

[Chang_paarp]

What worries me is who wrote this piece of pap. I thought he would have had a good education and was capable of critical thinking.

Jon Eddy Abdullah is chief executive officer of dtac.

Although being caught telling the truth by the powers that be, he (on behalf of his company), is trying to lift Thailand's image.

[BSJ]

Hub-A-Dub-Hub, 3 Thai's in a tub...Ning, Kham, Poo....p.

[outsider]

[Cloggie]

As long as - almost - EVERYBODY will pass ANY exam in this country, what is the value of a degree in Thailand?

[Nautilus05]

lol... they didn't even say what the mobile app that helps you diagnose your car problems does. It just says it's a really good one, and that's it.

Not to mention, bragging about technical ability because you have a massive amount of Facebook users is a bit ironic.

[JohnnyJazz]

From "potential" to "success" one needs dedication, hard work and resilience, three words that don't exist in Thai vocabulary.

Thailand is a landlord society, which means Thais own the land and rent it to people who want to do something. That how it worked with the Chinese, then the Japanese and nowadays all the big franchises that are locally owned by Thais but operated by foreigners.

Thais want to get rid of democratic capitalism, fine. But they will soon realize that the alternative is capitalism with Chinese characteristics. It probably suits them better.

[razer]

Enough! Stop this. You make yourselves look ridiculous.

[wabothai]

Silicon valley should watch out.

[wabothai]

And this man is chief executiveof dtac, hard to believe.

[catweazle]

Thailand has potential to become digital innovation hub

Oh, how much I missed those "Thailand, hub of..." threads - thanks for making my day!

[JesseFrank]

As we know, the new Thai generation is very technology savvy,

Yesterday I went to Banana IT, the Truemove shop, AIS shop and 3 mobilephone shops in Tuckom, in my quest to find a 3G aircard to which I could connect an external antenna. I know ZTE had such a device in the past.

None of them understood what was an external antenna

Edited June 24, 2014 by JesseFrank

[rreddin]

Thailand has potential to become digital innovation hub ......

Shouldnt that read wannabe digital suppression hub ?

Thailand has the potential to achieve a great many things. There is no shortage of ambition or big ideas, but what is lacking are the skills needed to turn those ideas and ambitions into reality and the fear of change.