Thailand unveils Digital Thailand plan

Thailand’s Cabinet has approved a 20-year Digital Thailand development program that seeks to transform the nation into a global digital leader.

Government spokesperson Major-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that the first phase of the plan would focus on six areas – infrastructure, economy, society, government, human resource development and trust.

The first 18 months will be of digital foundation followed by digital inclusion and full transformation.

Major General Sansern said that in ten years, thanks to this plan, Thailand will be a developed country and a global digital leader.

Elsewhere Thailand’s National Reform Committee has recommended that police be given full powers to censor and shut down websites without a court order as part of its reform of online media to ensure all media is legal and moral.

Other key recommendations include using big data analytics to identify networks of perpetrators on social media networks and centralization of power with the Police Technology Crime Suppression Division instead of the ICT Ministry.

The NRC also recommended that computer crimes be divided into crimes on computers and data, and crimes using computers.