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ICT companies hail digital economy plan [Bangkok Post, Thailand](Bangkok Post (Thailand) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sept. 19--Thailand's information and communications technology (ICT) industry faces "brilliant prospects" once the government's digital economy policy is in place, say major telecom and IT companies. The policy should also speed the country's development and help meet the goal of becoming an ICT hub for the Greater Mekong Subregion by 2015. Research firm IDC Thailand says it may be too early to estimate next year's ICT industry growth. But IDC senior market analyst Jarit Sidhu points to the country's 3G migration, which could double mobile data revenue and push local ICT spending growth to 11% this year, up from 5.8% predicted earlier. Thailand's mobile data revenue from mobile operators and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) is tipped to exceed 90 billion baht this year, up from 50 billion in 2013. The mobile data market is expected to grow by 40-45% in 2015. The local telecom sector is projected to grow by 17% this year, while the IT sector anticipates growth of 5% in the hardware market and 10% in the software segment. Advancing Thailand as a digital economy will require small and medium-sized enterprises to invest in IT systems to boost their competitiveness. Mr Jarit said IDC forecasts local ICT spending to continue its double-digit growth in 2015. He acknowledged, however, that the digital economy policy may be difficult to execute fast enough to have a widespread impact on the whole economy within one year. Thanachart Numnonda, executive director of the IMC Institute, an IT training and research agency, said the digital economy policy could drive long-term economic growth, but the government needs a strategic plan, effective execution and collaboration from other ICT-related authorities. Sontiya Nujeenseng, country manager of Intel Microelectronics (Thailand), said the policy could lift the country's competitiveness in the digital era and in preparation for the emergence of the Asean Economic Community, while stimulating the country's ICT spending. Karunpol Usuwasuwan, chairman of the executive committee at Symphony Communication, a SET-listed network service provider, said the use of digital technology could help the state create a resource pool for sharing information across state agencies and industrial sectors. Relatedly, ICT Minister Pornchai Rujiprapa sat down yesterday with the chairman of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission. The two tentatively agreed to set up a working panel to amend existing impractical telecom regulations and laws such as the Frequency Allocation Act, Telecommunications Business Act and Broadcasting Business Act. The amendments are aimed at eliminating redundancies among state agencies and smoothing the transition to the digital service era. Mr Pornchai said the ICT Ministry planned to transform its roles and responsibilities with the aim of becoming one of the "economic ministries". "We are thinking of changing our name to the Digital Economy Ministry," he said. "We're also in talks with the Science and Technology Ministry to transfer some of its agencies such as the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center to the ICT Ministry for greater operating efficiency." ___ (c)2014 the Bangkok Post (Bangkok, Thailand) Visit the Bangkok Post (Bangkok, Thailand) at www.bangkokpost.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |