ICT Conference 2 July 2013 “Unlocking ICT”
The services sector is recognized as a new engine of growth, stimulating innovation, developing intellectual capital, higher productivity and greater capacity in the economy. While Thailand has enjoyed great success from liberalisation of manufacturing, and AEC policies and initiatives well support liberalisation of trade in goods, the services sector is less well addressed. Liberalisation of services has largely stalled in Thailand.
In the ICT sectors, real effective growth and development (meaning for example an economy-wide change in work practices, enhanced innovation and productivity gains in the economy, with meaningful impact for business, government and residents) has not fully taken hold.
The all-day ICT Conference (co-organised by EABC and JFCCT) held on 2 July brought in most of the big issues and developments by including leading and critical thinking with a view to helping to make the ICT sector really outstanding, through leading-level participation of Thailand authorities, regulator, telecoms & IT industry, and business community in and about Thailand. The aim was to bring developments to light, to understand issues and hear recommendations for their resolution.
With 25 speakers across 15 sessions (of 8 Addresses and 7 Topic Sessions supported by 3 skilled Moderators), highlights included an opening from Mr Attila Nyitrai, Deputy Head of EUD, Dr Deunden Nikomboriarak of TDRI (on services liberalisation including the 8th AFAS package), Col Dr Settapong Malusuwan, chairman of the Telecoms Commission of NBTC (who stressed the importance of moving to a licensed environment, away from concessions, and noted that the Foreign Dominance Notification would come under pressure at least due to AEC requirements), Dr Bandid Nijathaworn (IOD President) who spoke on corporate governance and anti-corruption, speakers from the MNCs BT and NTT explaining the evolution from SOE to transformed, competitive telecoms / IT operators, European vendors (Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, NSN), leading wholesale players in Thailand, Skills in the sector (including work permit/visa issues), mobile money and payments, the role of the internet, the role of software in the economy, procurement issues and IT Start Up players and the creative economy. Supported by SIPA, ATCI and Chiang Mai Creative City, the conference acts as collection point for most of the issues facing the sector and which are part of EABCs advocacy agenda.
Conference Photos
Morning Session (Room : Lotus Suite 5-6)
| 08:30am–9:00am | Registration |
| 9:00am – 9:10am | Welcoming Remarks Mr. Attila Nyitrai – Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Thailand. |
| 9:10am - 9:50am | Liberalisation of Services – Thailand’s experience; ICT examples Dr. Deunden Nikomborirak, Research Director, Economic Governance, TDRI. |
| 9:50am–10:30am | Outline of NBTCs vision for the structure and operation of the sector –spectrum; development of a leading competitive industry Col. Dr. Settapong Malisuwan, Vice Chairman of NBTC, Chairman of Telecommunications Commission NBTC. |
| 10:30am-10:50am | Refreshment Break |
| 10:50am-1:20am | Corporate Governance and Anti-Corruption Dr.Bandid Nijathaworn, President & CEO Thai Institute of Directors (IOD). |
| 11:20am-12:00pm | The transformed SOE: global corporate services IT and Communications (Moderated Topic Session) Mr. Alex Lim, Managing Consultant, BT Advise for Communications BT Global Services. Mr. Tsuyoshi Kawashima, President, NTT Communications (Thailand), Co., Ltd. |
| 12:00pm-12.20pm | Info-Comms sector development – anticipations of the business community Mr. Bob Fox, Chair JFCCT ICT Group & Vice Chair EABC ICT Working Group; regional representative NavComp AB |
| 12:20pm–1:45pm | Networking lunch |
