Thai govt unveils themes for 'digital economy' plan

[webfact]

DIGITAL ECONOMY
Govt unveils themes for 'digital economy' plan
JIRAPAN BOONNOON
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- The government yesterday announced the five themes of its effort to make the country a "digital economy", while also planning to change the name of the Information and Communications Technology Ministry to "Digital Economy Ministry" early next year.

Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula said the digital economy would strengthen the country and drive it forward in the region.

The five themes of the programme are hard infrastructure, soft infrastructure, service infrastructure, promotion and innovation, and society and knowledge.

Under the hard-infrastructure theme, the government will cooperate with the private sector to provide suitable information-technology infrastructure to support a digital economy, such as high-capacity broadband Internet, various data centres, and digital gateways.

For soft infrastructure, the government aims to boost confidence about online transactions such as verification systems to identify individuals online and cybersecurity in order to encourage e-commerce.

Pridiyathorn said the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) would introduce e-documents so government offices could offer faster services to the public. Laws will be pushed to create connectivity among offices. Moreover, the government will set up an "ICT Law Centre" to provide legal information to every party involved in online business and online transactions.

ETDA director Surangkana Wayuparb said the agency was ensuring high standards of its e-documents and setting up ICT processes crucial for online transactions. It is also pushing a draft Licensing Facilitation Act to improve the connectivity among government agencies.

"The ETDA is committed and ready to be part of a digital economy so that Thai people can use digital tools to create economic value and improve their quality of life," she said.

She added that the agency planned to push for legislation supporting e-invoices, e-receipts, and e-contracts, which would allow the private sector and government to communicate via a paperless system. Last year the private sector spent around Bt3 billion on paper invoices alone.

Pridiyathorn said that under the third theme, service infrastructure, the government would create a platform to support the private sector.

For the promotion and innovation theme, the government will develop the digital skills of entrepreneurs to improve their efficiency. It will utilise digital tools to support the business growth in sectors such as banking, services and manufacturing. It will utilise IT to support small and medium-sized enterprises.

Under the last theme, society and knowledge, the government will provide universal access to online channels, ensuring everyone can access the Internet at an affordable price.

Pridiyathorn said the government would set up a National Digital Economy Committee to make policy. Six subcommittees will support this policy, staffed by people from both the private sector and government, to accomplish the digital economy within one year.

Thailand now has more than 26 million Internet users, 33 million Line members and 28 million Facebook users.

"Thailand has an opportunity to utilise digital tools to drive the economy, and the government will set up a venture-capital funding organisation such as cloud funding to help start-ups and other businesses run their operations smoothly," Pridiyathorn said.

"The government will also have data centres to provide analytic business information to support small and medium-sized businesses."

The military regime will submit a draft digital-economy law to the National Legislative Assembly next month. The draft will be based on more than 10 existing laws such as the Computer Crime Act and the E-commerce Act.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Govt-unveils-themes-for-digital-economy-plan-30247713.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-14

[ukrules]

Thailand now has more than 26 million Internet users, 33 million Line members and 28 million Facebook users.

I'd like to know how those extra 2 million are using facebook if they're not using the internet. By mail ?

[RustBucket]

Hahahaha.

You got to be kidding me.

There are plenty of people who want to introduce proper e-commerce to this place (including me) but while the Thais refuse to have paypal accounts even, then you won't even get out of the blocks. Ebay even gave up on Thailand when it realised the country was still stuck in the 1980s.

[siampolee]

Erratta.

a "digital economy"

A Richard Head economy.

Edited November 13, 2014 by siampolee

[NongKhaiKid]

Why not get the basics right in so many areas before these fanciful ideas and flashy titles ?

[Elmer Gantry]

anyone interested in buying a penny black

[noitom]

Thais are unveiling a dreamed up "theme." Thais are always dreaming and unveiling. They are constantly coming up with five point programs, six point plans, three pronged this, and five themes. Thai prongs, points, programs, and themes. The Thais can sure dream, too bad they can't execute and they have no idea how to implement a vision and lead the nation.

[NongKhaiKid]

Thais are unveiling a dreamed up "theme." Thais are always dreaming and unveiling. They are constantly coming up with five point programs, six point plans, three pronged this, and five themes. Thai prongs, points, programs, and themes. The Thais can sure dream, too bad they can't execute and they have no idea how to implement a vision and lead the nation.

Don't forget too that days ago it was announced there were plans for a 20 year Plan !

[pinkpanther99]

Digital economy, e-goverment, e-procurement, call it whatever you want - it's long overdue here. However, I feel that Thailand's love of paperwork will get in the way of this one.

[RigPig]

It will just end up another method of control, like China.

When I can tranfer all my money out of the country at the press of a key I'll be satisfied, bring it (money) in is easy, taking it out is a drama even fo small amounts......

[bangkapi]

They're definitely on board with the globalist agenda.

Reading the translations of recent speeches of the Prime Minister seemed to me like a combination of listening to Obama's agenda and reading 1984.

[12DrinkMore]

Why are they using cog wheels, a drive belt and various random arrows heading left and right to advertise this scheme?

Is a clue to be found in the lopsided "Economy" circle.

Maybe the underlying support is a "Tractor Economy"?

If it was put together by an eleven year old on an "Etch a sketch", then nice spelling.

If it was the result of a professional design department using computers, a month's hard thinking and a bill for more than 500 Baht then

[12DrinkMore]

It will just end up another method of control, like China.

When I can tranfer all my money out of the country at the press of a key I'll be satisfied, bring it (money) in is easy, taking it out is a drama even fo small amounts......

Depends what you call small,

Up to USD 20,000 service with a smile.

After that another form to fill in.

[soalbundy]

Thailand now has more than 26 million Internet users, 33 million Line members and 28 million Facebook users.

I'd like to know how those extra 2 million are using facebook if they're not using the internet. By mail ?

Internet shops ? i phones ?

[soalbundy]

digital economy, would be a good name for a band.

[trainman34014]

This means loss of mountains of paperwork which means loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs sifting said paperwork. The only thing that keeps 'the people' from all out anarchy is giving them millions of Government Civil Service jobs with decent salaries, pension rights, lovely uniforms with shiny medals. Huge numbers of these millions have little to do but walk around all day with pieces of paper in between eating and playing with phone's and tablet's. Try to 'modernise' systems in this country and all hell will break loose when millions are out of work.

More Bullshit put together by one of those minnions with nothing to do.

[ukrules]

Thailand now has more than 26 million Internet users, 33 million Line members and 28 million Facebook users.

I'd like to know how those extra 2 million are using facebook if they're not using the internet. By mail ?

Internet shops ? i phones ?

That makes them an internet user as far as I'm concerned because they're using the internet. Doesn't matter how or where.

[soalbundy]

Thailand now has more than 26 million Internet users, 33 million Line members and 28 million Facebook users.

I'd like to know how those extra 2 million are using facebook if they're not using the internet. By mail ?

Internet shops ? i phones ?

That makes them an internet user as far as I'm concerned because they're using the internet. Doesn't matter how or where.

but they wouldn't be registered as such, one registered machine in a computer shop cold have 50 or 60 different users per day.

[RigPig]

It will just end up another method of control, like China.

When I can tranfer all my money out of the country at the press of a key I'll be satisfied, bring it (money) in is easy, taking it out is a drama even fo small amounts......

Depends what you call small,

Up to USD 20,000 service with a smile.

After that another form to fill in.

Not so sure about that, the last time I had to do a bank transfer ($100 to Garmin for repairs to my GPS, they wouldn't do it any other way), it took 3 trips to the bank!

And yet PayPal or Web Shopping Visa card is never a problem, go figure...

[madmitch]

Fantastic news. One copy of my passport in the system eliminating the need for the copy every time I do a 90 day report, renew my extension or apply for anything, anywhere.

Realistically this must be a very long term plan in order to change the mind-set of the populace in general, for whom masses of paper is the norm.

Maybe we'll even see the end of the obsession with the fax!

[12DrinkMore]

Fantastic news. One copy of my passport in the system eliminating the need for the copy every time I do a 90 day report, renew my extension or apply for anything, anywhere.

Realistically this must be a very long term plan in order to change the mind-set of the populace in general, for whom masses of paper is the norm.

Maybe we'll even see the end of the obsession with the fax!

You can already strike the first item.

No copy required for the 90 day report. Although they do staple a piece of paper in the passport.

Be careful for what you wish for.

Any advantages for you of this integrated computer database technology are simply a by-product of the increasing power that governments want to exert over us.

As an example, the last time I opened a term deposit at the SCB I had to sign a compliance form for the Yankee-Doodlers. What happens to these forms? Do they get stored locally in the branch, or entered into a database, or passed on to the US authorities on demand or maybe even as a procedure?

Edited November 14, 2014 by 12DrinkMore

[ggold]

I'd like to know how those extra 2 million are using facebook if they're not using the internet. By mail ?

Internet shops ? i phones ?

That makes them an internet user as far as I'm concerned because they're using the internet. Doesn't matter how or where.

but they wouldn't be registered as such, one registered machine in a computer shop cold have 50 or 60 different users per day.

It is not about the number of computers in an internet cafe, it is about the number of users. Who use apps or email etc.

[Chris Lawrence]

The guy from Chaing Mai knows a bit about digital and the phone systems. Maybe they could consult him?

[noitom]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Thais are unveiling a dreamed up "theme." Thais are always dreaming and unveiling. They are constantly coming up with five point programs, six point plans, three pronged this, and five themes. Thai prongs, points, programs, and themes. The Thais can sure dream, too bad they can't execute and they have no idea how to implement a vision and lead the nation.

Don't forget too that days ago it was announced there were plans for a 20 year Plan !

They have plans for all occasions. They wheel out a plan when anyone raises the issue of execution and results. The Thais just wheel out another point or pronged plan or theme or schemes also is very big - three point "schemes."

[rjcampbe]

Thailand now has more than 26 million Internet users, 33 million Line members and 28 million Facebook users.

I'd like to know how those extra 2 million are using facebook if they're not using the internet. By mail ?

It's based on the number of accounts... Many people have more than one facebook account, for... uh... various reasons.

[rjcampbe]

This means loss of mountains of paperwork which means loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs sifting said paperwork. The only thing that keeps 'the people' from all out anarchy is giving them millions of Government Civil Service jobs with decent salaries, pension rights, lovely uniforms with shiny medals. Huge numbers of these millions have little to do but walk around all day with pieces of paper in between eating and playing with phone's and tablet's. Try to 'modernise' systems in this country and all hell will break loose when millions are out of work.

More Bullshit put together by one of those minnions with nothing to do.

Not to mention the millions of baht in graft that is enabled by the incomprehensible process of getting the right paper forms filled out in triplicate in the right color ink with the right poo yai's stamp on it...

[rickirs]

"Under the last theme, society and knowledge, the government will provide universal access to online channels, ensuring everyone can access the Internet at an affordable price."

No. The issue of access is one of economic equality, not of society and knowledge. Society and knowledge are issues of digital freedom of speech and association - currently not available under NCPO directives. So long as the NCPO and its surrogates control society and knowledge with interjection of its own ideas of morality, ethics, and sense of justice, there can be no true innovative development of a vibrant digital economy.

[SABloke]

Definition of Thai digital economy: More 0's than 1's

Edited November 14, 2014 by SABloke

[Thai at Heart]

They charge a fee for interbank transfer of funds on the internet.

Good luck

Edited November 14, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[Fatty123]

I hear that they had a sixth (and killer) point to the plan. However, even numbers are unlucky so it was left out.