1. 1 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. National Information Policy in Thailand By Thaweesak Koanantakool, Ph.D. Director National Electronics and Computer Technology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Thailand. World Summit on the Information Society: APIN-WSIS Meeting, Tara Hotel, Bangkok, December 14, 2002.

2. 2 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Presentation Outline I The Big Picture: Information Policy Roadmap National Information Technology Committee IT2000 – The first National IT Policy II National IT Policy Framework: IT2010 Towards the Knowledge-based & Sustainable Economy/Society Key to Success The Way Forward

3. 3 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. I The Big Picture: Information Policy Roadmap National Information Technology Committee IT2000 – The first National IT Policy

4. 4 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Timeline of IT2010 National IT Policy and National ICT Master Plan 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Ninth National Economic and Social Development Plan 2001-2006 Year Tenth National Economic and Social Development Plan 2007-2012 IT2010 Policy (2001-2010) National ICT Master Plan 2001-2006 IT2000 Policy (1996-2000) Comprehensive Action Plan 2003-2004 Establishment of the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology

5. 5 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. The National Information Technology Committee Established in 1992 high-level policy body chaired by the Prime Minister. Its members comprise of executives from relevant public and private sector. Developing Policies and Plans on ICT: –Creating the Digital Opportunity –Ensuring the proper modernization (IT Laws) –Forging the Knowledge-based Society –Infrastructure for e- Government –Infrastructure for the national economy –IT2000 Policy → IT 2010 Policy

6. 6 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. IT2000 IT2000 – The first National IT Policy Cabinet endorsement in February, 1996.

7. 7 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. IT2000 IT2000 - National IT Policy NATIONAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC POWER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA IT - ENABLED THAILAND SOCIAL EQUITY & PROSPERITY ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY SOCIETY GOOD GOVERNANCE HUMAN RESOURCE

8. 8 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. What have been achieved under IT2000? Examples: National Internet Exchanges E-Commerce Policy Framework Development of Legal Infrastructure for IT Government Information Network (GINet) SchoolNet Thailand IT for the under-privileged

9. 9 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool.

10. 10 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. E-Commerce Policy Framework Vision: EC for Entrepreneurs Competitiveness EC for Exports of Trade & Services, EC for Domestic Consumption E-Commerce As the National Trade Strategy E-Commerce As the National Trade Strategy Promote the EC deployment among business sectors, esp. SMEs Promote the EC deployment among business sectors, esp. SMEs Build Trust & Confidence Build Trust & Confidence Government renovates & creates market Government renovates & creates market Create an environment for fair competition and protect consumers Create an environment for fair competition and protect consumers Collaborate proactively with EC-related international forum Collaborate proactively with EC-related international forum Public hearing and government endorsed in 2000

11. 11 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Department A Department B Department C E. Directory (X.500) X.400 / EDI PKI Service Infrastructure DNS Common Data Repository GINet Servers SchoolNet ThaiSarn Pubnet & National Servers IIR Internet Govt. Information Network (GINet) Government Information Network ISPs

12. 12 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. ICT Legal Infrastructure Development Electronic Transactions Act (with electronic signature) National Information Infrastructure Law Computer Crime Law Data Protection Law Electronic Funds Transfer Law

13. Narrowing the Digital Divide 2 Mbps 5.6 Mbps CAT TOT SchoolNet Access is available free of charge to schools nationwide. Phone call is USD 0.08 per call everywhere 5,000 Schools online By the end of 2002

14. 14 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Components of SchoolNet Thailand Awareness Creation Provision of Network Access Training for Teachers Promotion of Content Development Promotion of Classroom Activities

15. http://school.net.th/library/

16. 16 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. We are cited in the UNDP Human Development 2001 and APEC New Economy Report (2001)

17. 17 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s IT Project

18. 18 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Emphasize on the use of IT for the under-privilege, e.g., rural school children, disabled children etc.

19. 19 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Use of Speech Software and Communication Device (Opa)

20. 20 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. II National IT Policy Framework: IT2010 Towards the Knowledge-based & Sustainable Economy/Society Key to Success The Way Forward

21. 21 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. National IT Policy Framework: Towards the Knowledge-based & Sustainable Economy/Society National IT Policy Framework: IT2010 Towards the Knowledge-based & Sustainable Economy/Society Endorsed by NITC October 2001. Endorsed by the Cabinet March 2002. Build Human Capital Promote Innovation Strengthen Information Infrastructure & Industry Knowledge-BasedEconomy

22. 22 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. ICT Development Program: ICT Development Program: Flagships and Infrastructures in IT2010 Invest in Information Infrastructure/Industry Promote Innovation Building Human Capital Flagship Programs

23. 23 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. ICT Development Program: ICT Development Program: Flagships and Infrastructures in IT2010EconomySociety Telecommunication Infrastructure Science and Technology, R&D, Knowledge Information Development, IT Literacy, IT HR e-Industrye-Commerce services/agriculture/ and tourism e-Society e-Education e-Government

24. 24 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Key to Success 1.Giving priority to the creation of useful information, contents and knowledge; 2.Developing human capacity on a continual basis; 3.Closing the Digital Divide; 4.Creating a clear-cut leadership mechanism in National ICT Development.

25. 25 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Critical Success Factors - I “Information over Technology” Emphasis on investment in content, information, knowledge ICT for development does not depend on the equipment and the line-speed or the money we have, but on how we good we can translate data into information and knowledge and apply it for the benefits of social & economic development

26. 26 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Critical Success Factors-II “Qualified Human Capital” Educational reform and upgrade of workers for sustainable development in order to increase the share of Knowledge Workers

27. 27 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Critical Success Factors- III “Reduce Digital Divide” not only information infrastructure but also literacy divide, cultural divide, management divide

28. 28 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Critical Success Factors- IV “Clear-cut Leadership and implementation mechanism” PM to lead NITC by himself, NITC supported by ICT Policy Office, Implementation supervised by a new Ministry of ICT.

29. 29 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. The Way Forward IT2010  National ICT Plan completed in September 2002 Minister of Information and Communications Technology established Integrated ICT Action Plan in December 3, 2002.

30. Country Development Objectives of ICT Strategies Sustainable Development ICT for Country Development Enhancing Competitive ness ICT and Knowledge as enabling technology Domestic market as key for technological capacity building Building up Knowledge based Society Export ICT Industry Electrical Electronics Computer Telecommunications Software

31. 31 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Farmers in six locations nationwide (2 in Chiangmai and one each in Nakhon Sawan, Phayao, Lampang and Nakhon Ratchsima) are now in close touch with vital information affecting their livelihoods. The center in Nakhon Sawan, equipped with 2 PC,1 Fax Machine,1 Telephone, and Internet Access, began operation in February. It provides commodity prices to help farmers adjust vegetable production to meet demand. The pilot project is funded by The Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA) with a grant of eight million baht Universal access for community empowerment

32. 32 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. E-Commerce for Rural Development Community-access centers - Pilot Projects E-Mail E-Commerce of Local Products E-Tourism Telephone/Fax E-Education Printing Services News Services

33. 33 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Telecenter Activities/Services E-Commerce Web/e-mail Phone/Fax ax Tourist Info. Education

34. 34 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Community Economic Center Chantaburi Province Women ’ s Silk Weaver Group Surin Province School Lampang Province Tambon Administration Office Pitsanuloke Province Examples of Telecenters in Thailand

35. 35 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. An initiative to bridge the digital divide in local community

36. 36 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. UNCTAD 2002 Discussion – Priority areas for WSIS Basic Telecommunications Basic Access to the Internet Human Capacity Building Affordable Access Devices (PCs, PDA) National ICT Policy and Plan Threat of Liberalization Appropriate Software (Legal, compact, low cost) Local Language enabled on Computers Creation of Local Contents Portal Sites e-Government -- Government Facilitation Standards in manufacturing, safety, health IT-Laws (e-Transaction, e-Signature, Computer Crime, Data Protection) Security -- Information/System/Network Authentication and Certification, PKI Broadband Access (Corporate, home) IT-Manpower development Regional Networking Collaboration Opportunities from Liberalization and Regionalization e-Marketplaces e-Payment infrastructure Consumer Protection Cross Border Certification Intellectual Property rights Protection Privacy Wireless Local Loop Domestic Internet Exchange Regional Training Center Low Cost PC Program Rural Empowerment Open Source solutions Machine Translation Digital Archive E-Learning UNCITRAL Model Laws World PKI Forum WIPO Concerns of developing countries and LDC Concerns of developed countries And industrial leaders

37. 37 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Key Points Learned & Proposals for WSIS Awareness and education, education, education, … is the key, Need effective agent(s) of change, Promoting concept of libraries as centers for global information access, Universal service obligation fund is highly recommended to drive equal access to information.

38. 38 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Key Points Learned & Proposals for WSIS (cont’d) More availability of rural telephones using less expensive digital wireless technology, More aggressive development of local contents (including talking book initiative for the blind) Machine translation (web translation into local language), including web voice for the blind, World wide availability of Office Software package to reduce access barrier and/or copyright infringement in developing countries.

39. 39 National Information Policy in Thailand – UNESCO APIN-WSIS Meeting December 14, 2002 Thaweesak Koanantakool. Thank you for your attention. This presentation is available at: www.nectec.or.th/users/htk/publish Email: htk@nectec.or.th Sawasdee