The aim is to address Thailand’s lack of both fixed and mobile digital infrastructure coverage and mobile penetration compared with developed nations, particularly at the fourth-generation level.

The move will also increase online access at all levels of Thai society, mirroring the government’s 2016 aim to bring broadband to 30,000 villages through upgrades of the national basic digital infrastructure, DTAC said.

The recommendation forms part of the mobile operator’s white paper, which sets out a projected vision and recommendations for realising a world-class digital economy and society in Thailand.

The report – “Realising Digital Thailand: An Internet Not for the Few, but for the Many” – was formally presented at the “Asia Pacific Digital Societies Policy Forum”, held in Bangkok on Wednesday and Thursday and co-hosted by the GSM Association and the Information and Communications Technology Ministry.

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide.

The document outlines DTAC’s concrete propositions within six key government-defined pillars for building a digital economy by 2020, alongside proof points in each area to illustrate a wide-ranging commitment.

“This ‘Digital Thailand’ white paper is part of our long-term commitment to helping realise the country’s digital future and encourage cooperation from multiple stakeholders, including policymakers, the private sector and civil society,” DTAC chief executive officer Lars Norling said yesterday.

“The Thai government’s vision for a digital economy will benefit the nation, its people, the economy and regional competitiveness. We therefore focused this report on providing a tangible road map for accelerating the efforts that will make it possibly to achieve nationwide digitalisation by 2020.”

Thailand can and should reasonably expect to be the leading digital nation in Asean by 2020, according to the white paper.

To realise the ICT Ministry’s draft “2016 Development Plan for Economy and Digital Society” and become a digital leader within the Asean Economic Community, DTAC is outlining recommendations and is committed to contributing under six primary pillars, as follows:

Pillar 1/Spectrum Road Map : The company recommends the development of a spectrum road map for the allocation and auction of the 700-, 850-, 1,800-, 2,300-, 2,600-megahertz bands, as covered above.

Pillar 2/Digital Innovation Ecosystem: For the Thai economy to attain and increase its full potential, digital technology must be further incorporated within the Thai business community – specifically within small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for more than 99 per cent of all businesses in Thailand.

DTAC endorses the promotion of the digital start-up ecosystem through multiple partnerships with all stakeholders.

Pillar 3/Digital Technology for an Equitable Society: Last year, 48 million Thais remained unconnected to the Internet and were thus unable to avail themselves of the socio-economic and cultural benefits of this technology.

DTAC recommends undertaking public-private partnerships to digitise health, education, financial and agricultural services that promote greater equity among Thais.

Pillar 4/E-Government Services: Thailand is currently placed behind developed nations in the online availability of basic public services. The national “superhighway network” – or Super GIN (Government Information Network) – is currently being established to link existing government data systems.

To support this governmental work, DTAC recommends engaging the private sector to accelerate the provision of e-government services, as seen in the creation of the company’s mobile financial service, Paysbuy.

Pillar 5/Human Capital: Thailand’s digital economy could be hampered by gaps in the educational system and the workforce’s digital readiness. A further challenge will be strengthening both digital literacy and English-language skills for Thais, beginning with building basic ICT skills for the population.

One way to initiate this is sourcing private-sector expertise and human capital to deliver up-to-date and relevant instruction, such as DTAC’s Net Arsa. To date, this has helped connect more than 50,000 Thais through more than 60 volunteer Internet coaches.

Pillar 6/Holistic Frameworks for a Digital Thailand: Thailand requires holistic frameworks for laws, regulations and criteria governing the digital sector. DTAC recommends revising Thailand’s digital-economy laws in a transparent manner through public consultation that offers a level playing field for state and private companies.

This also means guaranteeing the independence of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission in ensuring the allocation of spectrum through transparent and competitive auctions.