The Digital Economy and Society (DE) Ministry is aiming to boost the income of people at the grass-roots level through mobile apps and e-commerce platforms over the next three months.
Some targeted areas will be selected for a pilot project designed to use digital technology to boost revenue and quality of life among locals, according to DE minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta.
Digital Economy Promotion Agency (Depa) president Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin said apps and e-commerce platforms will help small businesses sell their products online. Training, including courses in packaging and marketing, will also be provided, he added.
Mr Buddhipongse said the ministry aims to increase Thais' income and boost their competitiveness as well as helping small businesses deal with digital disruption.
"The state and regulations should no longer be a burden on the private sector but instead help push them forward in line with the Thailand 4.0 policy," said Mr Buddhipongse.
He recently met 10 groups of digital and online influencers to sound out their views about key challenges facing the government's digital policy.
The Depa-organised meeting was also a chance to get feedback on the government's existing procedures and come up with a practical way to implement digital policy.
These groups included associations from the software, blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, cryptocurrency and new media sectors.
Mr Buddhipongse said the government is focusing on building new businesses in digital content, Edutech, Agritech Traveltech, Blockchain and FinTech industries.
The ministry hopes the private sector can be a fulcrum for cultivating a new business ecosystem.
"Proposals from these talent groups will be considered to bring about solutions to create better ways to achieve the country's digital economy targets," Mr Buddhipongse said.
The DE ministry's policy is geared towards three core pillars, which comprise digital for the economy, digital for society and digital for security, he said.
Regarding digital for the economy, the government will press ahead with policies and infrastructure that help to boost growth, he said. Efforts will be made to boost an e-commerce ecosystem and growth in online business through the roll-out of related laws.
Digital for society means the government will focus on ensuring easier access to digital services in people's daily lives, such as creating a portal to handle most aspects of state bureaucracy.
Mr Buddhipongse said the ministry will work with other agencies to make sure the government's digital policy benefits people in all sectors.