Dr. Somkid wants Thailand to do more to promote digital economy

BANGKOK, 27 May 2016 (NNT) - Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has pushed for Thailand to adapt to the growth of the global digital economy.

The Deputy Prime Minister made the remarks during a speech delivered at the Digital Thailand 2016 event. He said it is important for Thailand to adjust to fast-changing technology and the government should focus on making the economy more digitally oriented.

More high-tech approaches to providing social and public services should be adopted to make Thailand more competitive. Thais must also have equal access to government programs in order to resolve social inequality.

Dr. Somkid said that if Thailand does not make the necessary improvements, the country will fall behind the rest of the world in terms of market competition and investment. He urged the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to raise awareness among Thais about the importance of the digital economy.


-- NNT 2016-05-27

"More high-tech approaches to providing social and public services should be adopted to make Thailand more competitive" spot the errors?

More HI TECH? Well that would start with the government moving away and not controlling the internet and restoring the international gateways. And stop sprouting 4G with 2 G speed caps.

Thailand is not the centre of the universe as they think it is

All of this generic blathering by government officials about the "digital economy" is pretty tiresome.

Are there decent Thai programmers? If not, the Thais will have to look outside.

The whole thing crosses the grain of Thai culture. I'm not hopeful.

All of this generic blathering by government officials about the "digital economy" is pretty tiresome.

Are there decent Thai programmers? If not, the Thais will have to look outside.

The whole thing crosses the grain of Thai culture. I'm not hopeful.

There must be some but I am just trying to be optimistic

Reduce or waive the fees for e-banking.

It doesn't make sense to pay 120 baht for transferring 5,000.00 Baht by e-banking and doing the same transfer for free if I go to the bank, fill out 2 forms and need a teller to carry out the transaction.

Edited May 27, 201610 yr by dominique355

Perhaps by "digital" he meant teach the people how to do math on their fingers. Gotta be a translation errror

Im not sure what more thais can do - they use their phones and facebook almost 24/7 already. They are the ultimate promoters!

Do more? What's being done now??

In a country that requires every copy of a document be signed by the person proffering it. I think there is a long way to go. Start with the government departments and see if the idea of digital economy and technology can spread from there.

"He said it is important for Thailand to adjust to fast-changing technology and the government should focus on making the economy more digitally oriented."

Meanwhile the Thai government bans Uber and Grab motorcycle taxi services.

This in a Country that still uses physical currency as the main way of trade. Given the amount of phones as people of said I am suprised Thailand is not an electronic economy like many others. Notes and coins are antiquated

How about starting with making the online 90-day reporting workable for all applicants?

When you can't complete your report and call Immigration for IT help, they just advise to keep trying.

Well they could start by breaking the militaries vested interest in banning Uber and the similar one for motor taxis

They want to move into the 21st century but Thainess keeps them in their feudal state

Step 1. Create up to eight committees (or whatever number the soothsayers say is lucky this week).

Step 2. Create an "understanding" which can then be passed on to the masses.

Step 3. Install the single-gateway.

Step 4. Prosecute and jail all red-shirt sympathizers for computer crimes.

Step 5. Shut down all internet based applications not invented in Thailand including: UBER, AirBNB, Grabnnn, Facebook, LINE.

Step 6. Create Government sponsored applications to replace these which require registration via a Thai ID/foreign passport, fingerprints, DNA, and real-time GPS tagging.

Step 7. Make statements about how everyone outside Thailand "understands" the Thai version of the "digital economy".

In all seriousness, I think that given the poor educational systems that the "Thai Digital Economy" might refer to using their fingers to count out change.

Unfortunately I think mtls2005 is spot on about what the current "government" intentions for "the digital economy"

All of this generic blathering by government officials about the "digital economy" is pretty tiresome.

Are there decent Thai programmers? If not, the Thais will have to look outside.

The whole thing crosses the grain of Thai culture. I'm not hopeful.

I moved to Thailand 4 - 5 years ago to assist in development of my medical software being done by a friend with 3 Thai staff. He sprouted the virtues of living here. Due to the lack of skills in BASIC programming in Dot Net - VERY BLOODY USEFUL these days, he became frustrated and moved to the Philippines, and he lived here 5 years! 5 bloody years trying! Now he has 120 staff and very good skills in all areas of IT. And I am relocating everything in August for teh same reasons.

It is just a sham here and I feel sorry for the individuals with Uni degrees thinking those degrees are usefull

USELESS is what they are and not even fit to wipe your ass

AND IT IS THE BLAME of successive governments when this country could be so great in many ways but the governments and now this IDIOT is sending it even further backwards

Step 1. Create up to eight committees (or whatever number the soothsayers say is lucky this week).

Step 2. Create an "understanding" which can then be passed on to the masses.

Step 3. Install the single-gateway.

Step 4. Prosecute and jail all red-shirt sympathizers for computer crimes.

Step 5. Shut down all internet based applications not invented in Thailand including: UBER, AirBNB, Grabnnn, Facebook, LINE.

Step 6. Create Government sponsored applications to replace these which require registration via a Thai ID/foreign passport, fingerprints, DNA, and real-time GPS tagging.

Step 7. Make statements about how everyone outside Thailand "understands" the Thai version of the "digital economy".

In all seriousness, I think that given the poor educational systems that the "Thai Digital Economy" might refer to using their fingers to count out change.

They have already done ALL of this except facebook and LINE which they monitor and control

SHAME on anyone using facebook

Step 1. Create up to eight committees (or whatever number the soothsayers say is lucky this week).

Step 2. Create an "understanding" which can then be passed on to the masses.

Step 3. Install the single-gateway.

Step 4. Prosecute and jail all red-shirt sympathizers for computer crimes.

Step 5. Shut down all internet based applications not invented in Thailand including: UBER, AirBNB, Grabnnn, Facebook, LINE.

Step 6. Create Government sponsored applications to replace these which require registration via a Thai ID/foreign passport, fingerprints, DNA, and real-time GPS tagging.

Step 7. Make statements about how everyone outside Thailand "understands" the Thai version of the "digital economy".

In all seriousness, I think that given the poor educational systems that the "Thai Digital Economy" might refer to using their fingers to count out change.

They have already done ALL of this except facebook and LINE which they monitor and control

SHAME on anyone using facebook

Fully agree, I have not a shred of doubt that Zuckerberg sold out. Not a shred.

W