Thailand continues core policies to develop digital economy
Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry will continue its eight core policies with a focus on curbing online fraud and creating a sustainable digital economy.
Bangkok (VNA) ♈– Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry will continue its eight core policies with a focus on curbing online fraud and creating a sustainable digital economy.
Speaking at the ceremony to mark the ministry's 8th anniversary on September 17, Prasert Jantararuangthong, deputy prime minister and DES minister, said the eight policies are part of its mission of supporting Thailand's growth engine based on improving the country's digital capabilities, creating stability and safety within the digital economy and increasing the potential of digital human capital.
The eight policies include solving online threats; solving the problem of data leaks from state agencies; driving digital implementation in regions nationwide; cloud first policy; artificial intelligence (AI) development; digital manpower; strengthening startups and small- and medium-sized enterprises; and lifting the country's competitiveness ranking.
Prasert said that all figures related to the policies have improved significantly compared with the previous six months and last year.
From November 2023 to Aug 31 this year, the operations of the Anti Online Scam Operation Center (AOC) had improved in every dimension.
The damage caused by online crime in August stood at 75 million THB (2.25 million USD) per day, down 36% from the 116 million THB per day between January and June.
Between November last year and August this year, the centre received 985,538 calls, or 3,231 calls per day on average.
The AOC also suspended 291,256 bank accounts, or 1,107 accounts per day on average during the same period. The ministry, in collaboration with related agencies, shut down 138,660 URLs deemed to be illegal during the period October 1, 2023, to Aug 31, 2024, an 11-fold increase from the same period of fiscal 2023.
Thailand's digital competitiveness ranking in 2023 climbed five places to 35th from 40th in 2022. The country targets to be in the top 30 by 2026./.
Thailand’s Finance Ministry has highlighted five strategies to promote saving habits among Thais, which will help prepare the population to enter retirement with more stable finances, a move deemed necessary as the country is becoming an aged society.
The Thai government is expected to distribute 145 billion THB (4.28 billion USD) in cash under its digital wallet handout programme from late September to stimulate short-term development and support vulnerable groups.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
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Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
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The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
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Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
