The Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry has rolled out its "4D" policy to develop people with digital skills.
The 4D policy is meant to complement its Seed Thailand programme launched last year to create many projects and activities nationwide to enhance Thailand's digital economy.
According to caretaker DES Minister Prasert Jantararuangthong, the 4D policy includes Digital Sandbox Hubs, responsible for establishing digital centres in each region; Digital Citizen, focusing on attracting digital talent from around the world; Digital Opportunity Fund, aimed at creating funds to support digital entrepreneurs and technology; and Digital Career for the Future, dedicated to developing skills for future careers.
Mr Prasert said the 4D policy is expected to stimulate Thailand's digital economy and enhance the country's competitive edge. The initiative aims to cultivate the seeds of the new generation and foster their growth into a key digital workforce for Thailand.
The Seed Thailand project is aimed to enhance digital skills through both online and offline platforms. It has since expanded to the Diginext by Seed Thailand initiative, providing the younger generation with opportunities to engage directly with key figures in Thailand's digital economy development and gain firsthand experience.
The Digital Platform Program Board of the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness, National Innovation Agency, and the Digital Startup Institute also discussed strategies for promoting new digital entrepreneurs through government support at the "Seed Thailand: From Seed to Growth" event on Monday.
Insights from these discussions were consolidated into the 4D policy.
Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, president of the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (Depa) said the Seed Thailand project has been cultivating and preparing three key groups of the new generation: the youth group, the future career group and "digi-preneurs".
These groups are essential for driving the nation's digital economy. To further engage these young people in advancing the digital economy, the DES Ministry and Depa launched Diginext to gather feedback from across the country's five regions.
The ministry also assigned Depa as the agency to drive the project and the 4D policy initiative.
"These recent regional visits allowed both the ministry and Depa to gain valuable insights and opinions, and understand the true needs of people in different regions. This information is crucial for refining and adjusting government policies to better meet the needs of Thai citizens and entrepreneurs, thereby enabling to concretely boost Thailand's economy and enhancing the country's competitiveness," said Mr Nuttapon.
He said Depa developed a digital skill roadmap to guide all Thais to enhance their critical digital skills, in line with the global landscape and to meet the demand for digital talent in various industries that integrate digital technology into their operations.
This roadmap will help prepare the workforce with essential skills, guiding them towards developing digital products or services that will be crucial in advancing the nation's economy and society, said Mr Nuttapon.
The skills development is categorised into three types: Digital Skill for All, which comprises digital skills for everyone; Digital-Driven Career, which promotes digital skills for modern careers; and Digital Professional, which encompasses digital skills for specialised digital professions.
