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DIGITAL ECONOMY – The Industry speaks
Introduction
What is it?
The ‘digital economy’ can be defined as all economic activity mediated by software and enabled
by telecoms infrastructure.
This includes core telecoms services such as voice, messaging and data.
The goods and services within the digital economy can be broadly grouped as:
- intrinsically digital – streaming video, ebooks, computing services, Facebook
- substitutes for established equipment and services – virtual private communications
networks, security services, virtualised PBXs and services delivered on-line (eg accounting,
software, KBO etc)
- marketing, sale, logistics etc of physical goods – Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, Tarad.com,
Pantipmarket
It also includes the role of governments in the development of infrastructure, services, and the
enablement of people and of social and economic enterprise.
As with telecommunications, the Digital Economy works through layers, or building blocks.
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In the second half of 2014 the Government of Thailand proposed a re-organization of the ICT sector
around the concept of “Digital Economy”. This included changing MICT to Ministry of Digital
Economy, establishing a National Committee for Digital Economy and Society, and several new laws
and amendments to existing laws to underpin the new policy agenda.
Cosmetic changes? Or real reform?
The success of the Digital Economy will, among other things, depend on two critical factors: 1) the
efficient deployment of broadband networks and an appropriate structure for the telecoms sector,
which is the foundation of the Digital Economy, and 2) a properly governed and trusted internet to
harvest the full innovative potential and secure usage of new services.
This half-day conference brings together experience and perspectives from the industry,
Government, users and service provides to exchange views and share ideas for the realization of a
Digital Economy. The organizers have a long standing interest in the efficient and effective
functioning of ICT sectors, howsoever named. Registration is on line here
Format:
Half day in the morning and lunch. Conference participatory style. There are two
types of slot: An Address and a Moderated Topic Session. A Moderated Topic
Session is one subject area with 2-3 speakers (TEDx style – ie focused, well
prepared, important ideas/issues/proposals with presentation – ‘rich pictures’
rather than lots of text), then with Q&A with all presenters from that session on
stage with a well-prepared Moderator.
Date:
Tuesday 28 April 2015.
Venue:
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit (BTS: Asok) (to be confirmed)
Who should attend: Telecoms and IT industry participants, on-line merchants, OTT providers,
apps developers, mobile and fixed line operators, on-line and broadcast publishers, Policy
makers and regulators, other telecoms industry participants, IT industry participants, NBTC and
NBTC staff, MICT senior staff, ETDA leaders and staff, internet civil society groups, business
community in Thailand.
Price: THB 1,000 net for Non-member. THB 500 net for JFCCT & EABC members, and supporter
members. THB 250 net for Graduated/Post-Graduated Students with limited numbers.
Sponsors & Supporters are offered a limited number of complimentary tickets. Free of Charge
(FOC) for Government Employees. Register on line and pay by CASH or cheque at the
registration’s desk before the event starts. Registration is on line here . You can register here –
we will keep your details and be in touch by email.
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Draft Conference Programme
Time
Programme
08:00 – 8:50
Registration
08:50 – 9:00
Welcoming Remarks
Ms Luisa Ragher
Deputy Head of Delegation
Delegation of the European Union to Thailand
Keynote address: Policy and Regulation – global experience
9:00 – 9:20
Keynote Speaker I: ICT Minister Dr Pornchai [invited]
9:20 – 10:30
Moderated Topic Session: Effective Industry structure and operation
10:30 - 10:45
NBTC Secretary-General [confirmed]
True CEO [invited]
DTAC CEO [confirmed]
AIS CEO or senior executive [confirmed]
Ericsson senior executive [invited]
+ Moderator
Refreshment Break
10:45 – 11:05
Address: The Internet
Keynote Speaker II –
11:05 – 11:55
Topic Session: A Trusted Internet: Governance and Cybersecurity
ETDA Deputy CEO Mr Wanawit Ahkuputra [confirmed]
Civil Society internet group
Mr Manoo Ordeedolchest – advisory group on Digital Economy [invited]
Ecommerce operator
+ Moderator.
11.55 – 12.10
Short Address: Digital Economy: The foreign business community perspective:
JFCCT / EABC
12:10 – 13:45
Networking & Interactive lunch; Short lunch address (20 mins as part of lunch):
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Co-organised by
The European Centre for Business & Commerce (EABC) was established as a consortium with sixteen
business organisations and chambers both in Thailand and Europe. EABC contributes towards the
improvement of Trade and Investment in Thailand, foresting business co-operation between
Thailand and Europe and to strengthening the Thai economy. Policy paper 2015 was released early
March 2015.
The Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT) with 30 Chamber members and almost
9,000 end company members has been active in the ICT areas for well over a decade. The EABC and
JFCCT in ICT areas are a unified voice of the foreign business community in Thailand, with regional
and global linkages and expertise. Through dialogue and engagement, JFCCT ICT seeks to enhance
the wider ICT sectors. Policy paper was released September 2014.
Materials from prior ICT conferences co-organised by EABC and JFCCT (2013 and 2014) appear here:
http://www.eabc-thailand.eu/advocacy/102/ict.htm
For more information, please visit: www.eabc-thailand.eu or www.jfcct.org
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