ICT crucial in growth of digital economy: industry players

Representatives of the ICT (information and communications technology) industry say they are willing to support the government’s policy to transform the country into a digital-based economy.

MR Pridiyathorn Devakula, the deputy prime minister for the economy, has said the military-led regime would put forward long-term plans focusing on the digital economy.

Vatsun Thirapatarapong, managing director for Cisco in Thailand and Indochina, said ICT, particularly broadband infrastructure, had proved able to increase gross domestic product by 1.3 per cent for every 10-per-cent increase in broadband penetration. This is crucial for the growth of the country’s digital economy. As more sectors adopt ICT, they will increase productivity, become more efficient in use of resources, and reduce redundant costs. It will also create more jobs as well as value-added products.

In addition, with the rise of the “Internet of Everything”, more devices will be connected. This will enable the transformation of how we work, live, play and learn. As younger generations dominate society, the pace of IoE adoption will even be faster. Cisco has been promoting the country’s growth with ICT, through thought leadership, its Network Academy educational programme, and government partnership.

Sontiya Nujeenseng, country manager for Intel (Microelectron-ics) Thailand, said ICT would play a crucial role in transforming people’s lives by enabling access to opportunities and enhancing skills and creativity. With the use of the right technology, there can be countless opportunities for doing business, opportunities in learning, and also opportunities for the government to provide efficient services. 

 

World of knowledge

“For an emerging country like Thailand, we can use ICT to bring the world of knowledge and information into our reach and at the same time to expand our business far beyond what we used to do. To achieve this, we need two important things: skill and access. In this context, I would like to highlight that we need a skilled workforce that can transform business and skilled teachers to help transform education. These will be essential building blocks for the digital economy,” Sontiya said.

Intel says its aim is to extend the reach of technology from the data centre to personal computers and mobile devices to the Internet of Things for the benefits of the people. 

“In parallel, it will also continue to support the country’s road map in improving digital access and digital literacy of the Thai people,” Sontiya said.

Alan Chiang, general manager of Acer Computer, said ICT could help Thailand reform in several aspects, including information infrastructure and public administration, and bridge the digital divide. Reform requires efficiency in public administration, business processes, education, and household management. To increase efficiency, Thailand needs a better information infrastructure. This includes higher speeds for mobile telecommunication and broadband. 

 

Bridging the divide 

Thailand needs to bridge the digital divides between itself and advanced countries, between remote areas and the cities, 

and between poor and rich. It needs ICT to provide fair access to information to everyone and everywhere.

“ICT’s role is to build our future. Education is our future, and it’s the base of reform. We need to use more IT to improve education facilities and content,” Chiang said.

He added that Acer had a full line of information-technology solutions and services that could support ICT transformation plans.

Haresh Khoobchandani, managing director of Microsoft (Thailand), said technology was an enabler, but the important thing was to understand the government’s priorities, what it is trying to do, and then provide the right solutions. These could be both cloud and non-cloud solutions, but the whole idea is to listen to what the government needs and what it is try to solve. 

As a technology provider, he said, Microsoft would recommend the right solutions for the government and the country. There is no one solution to fit everything; it depends on what the government is trying to achieve. Based on that, the government needs to make decisions. 

“We have had a long-term presence in Thailand and a partnership with the government for the past 20 years,” he said. “And we will be in Thailand for the long term and be a partner with the government for the next 20 years. 

“We are looking forward to seeing the details of the government’s plan, and when we understand what the government’s priorities and needs are, then we look forward to partnering with the government to talk about the solutions and how our solutions can enable the government to put in place the reform it wants to drive and to help it provide good solutions that have security and privacy at the heart of them.” 

Somchai Lertsuttiwong, chief executive officer of Advanced Info Service, said he strongly agreed with the government’s policy of promoting a digital-based economy that would help increase the country’s competitiveness. As a telecom service provider, AIS is ready to support the government’s agenda to drive the country’s reform through ICT. 

“Telecom is the one crucial infrastructure to help drive the country’s competitiveness. We are glad to have it on the government’s priority agenda. The solid policy [on ICT] will lead growth in many areas and create opportunities for the industry itself. We would like to see the explicit policies on 4G [fourth-generation cellular] licences, new technologies, fixed broadband, and the broadcasting industry,” Somchai said.

 

Supporting the govt

Narupon Rattanasamaharn, senior vice president for the regulatory division of Total 

Access Communication, said DTAC was ready to support the government’s digital economy to utilise the telecom network infrastructure. 

“The availability of high-speed Internet nationwide will be one of the key driving factors to help the country reform into a digital economy, improving the country’s competitiveness and raising the standard of living.”