FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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E-commerce parks touted as spur for growth

E-commerce parks touted as spur for growth

THE development of e-commerce parks, mainly at universities and other educational institutions, will be one of the key facilitators in advancing the country’s economy in an era of disruptive technologies, said Deputy Prime Minister Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong.

 

Prajin yesterday presided over the opening ceremony of the Thailand e-Commerce Week 2019, held at Srinakharinwirot University’s Prasarnmit campus. Hosted by the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (Public Organisation) (ETDA) and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the event continues until tomorrow. It is the fourth e-commerce week to be held in Thailand.
He said that the development of e-commerce parks would prove just as valuable to the economy even if there is a change in government after the coming election.
 “From my point of view, the ETDA and all stakeholders should actively expand the e-commerce parks to cover all potential areas throughout the Kingdom to create business opportunities to individual entrepreneurs in long term,” said Prajin.
“Also this year, Thailand will assume the chairmanship of Asean. It is a good opportunity for the 
 country to push the development of Thai e-commerce through the Asean stage.”

The ETDA began its e-commerce park initiative last year with an objective to focus on human resources development for a more skilled labour market. The e-commerce ecosystem, as promoted under the e-commerce park concept, will be developed with the support of key stakeholders in the government, academic and private sectors.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the ETDA and Srinakharinwirot University in July last year, opening the way to collaboration that focuses on the establishment of an e-commerce park that supports e-transaction activities. 
The e-commerce park at the university will play an important role in promoting the e-commerce ecosystem, supporting entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs (SMEs), manufacturers and service providers in the local and international markets.

 “The ETDA has created several programmes to develop the abilities of businesses to compete and grow online, reducing the inequality gap for people in society, along with equipping both the young and the elderly with the necessary knowledge to be able to use the Internet to their advantages creatively,” Prajin said. 

“In the area of youth development in the past, ETDA has cooperated with Srinakharinwirot University, which has set an aims of innovating at an international level and creating a workforce to support e-commerce businesses. It aims to create an e-commerce park, along with planning for the creation of a Silicon Valley-style environment for e-commerce with a fully supportive ecosystem here in Thailand.”
Prajin said that the ETDA is expanding its e-commerce park collaboration to cover other educational institutions, including Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Chulalongkorn University, and Thammasat University.
 “This Thailand e-Commerce Week 2019 event is a good starting point that will not only be a support for Thai businesses but also for students who will become the young talent, full of creativity and power, and ready to improve their abilities in every aspect,” Prajin said.
“They will have the chance to hear different ideas in developing businesses from real businessmen that have been able to survive in a competitive digital era, who will hopefully spark inspiration in them, and will hopefully benefit them in their studies and work in the future.”
 

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