The Office of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission (ONDE) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with nine organisations to create digital volunteers to promote accessibility and understanding of digital technology for local communities nationwide.
The nine organisations comprise the National Statistical Office, the Office Electronic Transactions Development Agency, the Anti-Fake News Center, the Office of the Personal Data Protection Commission, the Office of the National Cyber Security Agency, the Department of Social Development and Welfare, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Corrections, and the UN Children’s Fund (Thailand).
The move is meant to create a digital volunteer per village by 2024.
Putchapong Nodthaisong, secretary-general of ONDE, said the agency is following through on the national digital development plan by focusing on moving the economy forward via digital technology and creating an equitable society through that technology.
ONDE has established 500 digital community centres and an additional 1,722 centres are planned to be developed by 2027, he said.
ONDE was assigned by the permanent secretary for digital economy and society to work on creating digital volunteers who can serve as mediators to promote digital technology, opportunities and welfare rights for locals.
“People nationwide still lack adequate opportunity to access digital technology and understand it,” said Mr Putchapong.
The MoU with the nine organisations supports training courses, platforms, digital volunteer apps and a network of local digital volunteers, he said.
The digital volunteers are expected to help at least 300,000 villagers by next year, or one volunteer per four villagers, said Mr Putchapong.
Digital adoption by local communities is expected to propel the digital economy in targeted areas.
The National Digital Economy and Society Commission, chaired by the prime minister, previously approved the upgraded version of the third phase of Thailand’s digital landscape development plan, which starts this year and runs until 2027.
The third phase was formulated in line with rapid changes in global economic and social structures.
One of the goals is to drive the country to reach the top 30 in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, taking the third spot in Asean, with the digital economy contributing 30% of GDP in five years.
Thailand ranked 40th in the 2022 index, falling two spots from 2021.