Strategic spectrum allocation with reasonable pricing, the fostering of innovation, and the promotion of telecom competition are crucial for Thailand to become a prominent "digital nation" in Southeast Asia, according to the GSM Association (GSMA).
The association said the country should also build a strong national 5G brand and prioritise digital inclusion.
The GSMA is a global organisation representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries.
Thailand has become a "quiet achiever" in 5G, Julian Gorman, GSMA's head of Asia-Pacific, told the Bangkok Post, noting the country's leadership in the region alongside Singapore, which are deemed to be the two most experienced 5G nations within the region's footprint.
Mr Gorman said that to sustain and enhance its leadership position, Thailand should focus on optimising spectrum management and make the 3.5-GHz spectrum available to foster significant innovation.
Moreover, it should set a reasonable spectrum pricing, treating it as if a government were investing in a digital nation, rather than focusing on selling spectrum assets at the highest price.
High spectrum prices are not conducive to the collaborative building of a strong digital nation, he added.
Lessons from Vietnam and India show that significantly reducing spectrum prices, along with offering incentives such as rebates for the network rollout exceeding the obligations, can accelerate 5G deployment and adoption.
Vietnam launched 5G last October and its government announced over the past two months that it would rebate 15% of network rollout costs for those who can go beyond licence obligations in terms of network rollout, said Mr Gorman.
This is an incentive for operators to move beyond their minimum commitments to creating a national 5G network to power the economy.
In addition, policymakers need to ensure sufficient spectrum allocation.
The GSMA recommends 80-100 MHz per operator for the mid-band spectrums.
The government should ensure this amount is available to avoid scarcity and drive competition and connectivity.
Meanwhile, a clear roadmap for future spectrum availability is essential to cater to increasing data demands.
While the manufacturing sector globally accounts for approximately 40% of the 5G benefits, significant opportunities are also being explored in Thailand's tourism and services sectors.
The broader Asia-Pacific mobile economy, excluding China, is projected to be worth about US$1 trillion by the end of this decade, with 5G alone contributing an estimated $130 billion of that value.
In an unfavourable economy, costs are a major hurdle for 5G adoption.
"Innovation can adjust the perception of cost, making smartphones and digital services more appealing by increasing their value proposition," Mr Gorman said.
The government can act as an "anchor tenant" by digitising its services, making it cheaper and easier for citizens, especially those at the bottom of the pyramid, to engage via smartphones, thereby increasing the value of the phones.
While 5G adoption is important, it's equally critical to close the usage gap by ensuring everyone is connected and encouraging users of older technologies to migrate to newer ones.
STRONG 5G NATIONAL BRAND
Despite being a "quiet achiever" in 5G, Thailand needs to be "a bit louder" about its vision and achievements to attract more foreign direct investment, innovation and startups, Mr Gorman said.
A strong 5G national brand, akin to how Thailand promoted its tourism globally, could significantly elevate its international recognition, he added.
Moreover, the country has a big role to play in guiding Asean's digital transformation through initiatives such as spectrum harmonisation which ensures common frequencies and timelines, enabling a "rising tide lifts all boats" scenario that benefits the entire region through efficient technology rollout and economies of investment.
Mr Gorman said that while Thailand currently operates with two main mobile network players, a number "below the average in the region", the emphasis for continued innovation should be on fostering competition at the front line of services, rather than solely on infrastructure numbers.
A robust regulatory framework and policy that encourages innovation and invites investment is critical.
This involves reducing the cost and complexity of launching new businesses and potentially offering incentives for specific types of innovation to invigorate the 5G ecosystem.
AI FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
Mr Gorman said the widespread availability of AI in people's pockets has democratised its use, enabling everyone to easily "do something with AI".
Governments nurturing the AI ecosystem and innovation can unleash a new ecosystem of innovation and use cases.
AI plays a crucial role for telecom operators by making customer care "very personal", improving the efficiency of business operations, and making networks smarter.
Mr Gorman said that "AI for networks" uses AI to optimise resource allocation and predict and repair faults, making networks faster and more efficient.
Conversely, "Networks for AI" ensures networks are smart enough to handle the changing traffic profiles driven by AI use cases, which often involve more data uploads to the cloud. This synergy supports the monetisation of new use cases for operators.
Mr Gorman said Thailand is at the leading edge of GSMA's Open Gateway API (application programming interface) program, such as APIs like SIM swap alerts, and particularly the scam signal API that demonstrates a 90% effective rate in identifying potential scam victims in the UK.