ETDA embraces regulator role
Surangkana Wayuparb, CEO of the Electeonic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) at the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, said the organisation's responsibilities will increase under the Electronic Transactions Act to build a better balance between regulations and the promotion of digital service business.
In 2019, ETDA will appoint a new CEO and take new responsibilities as a regulator under the new Electronic Transactions Act.
ETDA will function as the secretariat of the Electronic Transactions Committee to prepare the Electronic Transaction Strategic Plan and the Infrastructure Standards Development Plan, regulate business related to electronic transactions, and analyse and certify a variety of standards.
"When considering the roles of government authorities and the scope of the current digital economy-related laws, the most urgent challenge for Thailand to transform to a digital economy and digital government is the removal of overlapping responsibilities among different authorities. It is evident that laws governing a number of government authorities overlap," said Surangkana.
"According to the Electronic Transactions Act, which passed the National Legislative Assembly in January, ETDA is to determine the standards supporting electronic transactions as digital identification and see to their appropriate regulation. In setting standards, ETDA might become entangled with other organisations supervising open government and data sharing, including public information disclosure.
“ETDA will focus on providing recommendations and standards in the context of promotion, while maintaining a secure environment for data protection and security as defined by other laws," she said.
The need to raise the qualifications of service providers and improve coordination among the technical systems of each service provider is considered critical information infrastructure which can affect confidence and trust in electronic transactions.
"ETDA, as a digital transformation facilitator, will be the organisation which supports the use of innovation for electronic transactions in management and services by the public and private sectors. ETDA will explore digital technologies, devise necessary recommendations as well as develop prototypes and sandboxes so that the public and private organization management and service provisions remain effective, efficient, secure, reliable, appropriate, and convenient to users in the ecosystem," she added.
Surangkana said that ETDA intends to enhance digital-technology competence among Thai policy-level executives from the public and private sectors so that they can stay abreast of continual technology transformation and disruption.