The first public hearing on the cybersecurity and data privacy draft bills, the most critical component for a bill passage, is scheduled to take place in December after almost six months of delay.
The public hearing process is expected to be completed within this year. The two draft bills are expected to take effect by 2017.
If the bills pass the hearings, they are then submitted to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for approval, said ACM Prajin Juntong, acting minister of the Digital Economy (DE) and Society.
The bills will address both data privacy and data security to ensure organisations take greater responsibility for cybersecurity and support the digital ecosystem.
ACM Prajin admitted the two draft bills are being closely watched by critics who have expressed concerns over the benefits of using digital service, e-business and state measures governing data security protection.
"We [the government] will try our best to serve the public interest," he said.
The government is pushing up processes implementing the digital economy-related laws in a drive to complement the development of the country's digital economy.
There are eight draft bills related to digital economy laws that need to be approved by the NLA to accomplish the implementation of the country's digital economy roadmap.
As of now, however, the government can enforce only a draft bill related to the establishment of the DE Ministry, which was announced in the Royal Gazette last month.
Surangkana Wayuparb, chief executive of the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), said the draft bill promoting the digital economy will be submitted to the NLA this month and is expected to take effect by year-end.
The Digital Economy Promotion draft bill will enable the establishment of the National Economy and Society Development committee and the establishment of the Digital Economy and Society Development fund, she said.
The draft of the new National Broadcasting Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) law is being revised by a committee of the NLA before submission to Assembly members for voting, while the amended Computer Crime Act (CCA) draft bill is under hearing.
Mrs Surangkana said the first public hearing of CCA draft bill was made on Sept 30, with the second hearing scheduled for next month.
Last week, critics complained the recent draft amendment of the CCA at a public forum fails to prevent wrongful interpretations and applications of the law.
The main problem with the amended CCA is that its definition of "offences" under Section 14 is too broad, which could lead to abuse. The CCA has proven a powerful tool to silence human rights defenders reporting alleged abuse, as well as activists who exercise free speech.
The problem has not been solved in the latest draft, despite repeated calls from rights bodies such as Amnesty International and the Thai Netizen Network to address this.