Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Mr. Praesert Choodigitan, has embarked on a monumental transformation journey, elevating the nation through the implementation of seven flagship initiatives that promise to revolutionize both the economic and social landscapes.
Mr. Praesert Choodigitan, also known as DE Minister, has outlined the ministry’s ambitious agenda for the year, focusing on seven core areas of development:
1. Cloud First Policy:
The DE Ministry is spearheading the adoption of cloud-based systems as the primary infrastructure, aiming to establish Thailand as a Cloud Hub in the region. This initiative involves modernizing and securing the country’s digital infrastructure to international standards, enhancing governmental operations through digital technologies. The goals include providing cloud services to over 220 departments, saving 30-50% of the national processing infrastructure budget, fostering data exchange, and leveraging big data for developmental purposes. Additionally, it aims to attract both domestic and foreign cloud investments, bolstering Thailand’s competitiveness.
2. AI Agenda:
The ministry is advancing the AI infrastructure by introducing the National AI Service Platform on the Government Data Center Cloud (GDCC). Key developments include the creation of the Thai Large Language Model (Thai LLM) to serve as the foundation for Thai language artificial intelligence. Moreover, ethical, legal, and social considerations are being integrated into AI development alongside efforts to enhance AI skills through hackathons and upskilling programs for SMEs and the general public. Use cases for AI in both public and private sectors are being accelerated, such as intelligent weather forecasting and flood risk mapping.
3. One District One IT Man:
A drive to digitalize regional levels is underway, with initiatives such as deploying IT personnel to each of the 878 districts, establishing 2,222 digital community centers, providing public internet access to 24,654 villages, setting up Digital Youth Councils, and fostering drone communities to elevate the digital quality of life and facilitate digital data connectivity at the district level.
4. Digital Manpower:
Efforts are being made to develop digital workforce infrastructure, including a platform to link digital workforce data via Digital ID (Credit Bank), attracting global digital talent through the Global Digital Talent Visa (GDT Visa), collaborating with the private sector to increase the digital workforce by 50,000, and expanding digital literacy through digital youth councils.
5. Cell Broadcast:
A modernized, nationwide disaster alert system is being implemented to mitigate loss of life and property through targeted disaster notifications.
6. Online Threat Mitigation:
Enhancements are being made to online threat detection and response capabilities, utilizing AI to monitor, analyze, and combat threats, alongside the development of call alert applications, personal data protection centers, and measures to address online shopping issues such as cash on delivery discrepancies. Additionally, a cyber vaccine program is being introduced to stay ahead of online threats.
7. Enhancing Digital Competitiveness:
Efforts are underway to improve Thailand’s digital competitiveness ranking to 30 by 2026, up from 40 in 2020 and 33 in 2022, as per the IMD rankings.
In conclusion, the DE Ministry, under the leadership of Mr. Praesert Choodigitan, is driving a comprehensive digital transformation agenda to propel Thailand into a leading digital economy and society. Through strategic initiatives across various sectors, Thailand aims to harness the power of technology to improve citizens’ lives, boost economic growth, and enhance its global competitiveness in the digital age.