The objective was to gather valuable insights and feedback to inform depa's strategic direction in promoting and supporting digital technology and industries, while accelerating the nation's digital economy and society. Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO of Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), along with senior executives, participated in the discussions at depa headquarters on Soi Ladprao 10, Chatuchak District.
Executives and representatives from various organizations presented their perspectives and recommendations on advancing Thailand's digital industry, encompassing the following key areas:
- Accelerate Development of Digital Infrastructure and Ecosystem to Support Growth
Industry stakeholders concurred that Thailand must upgrade its foundational infrastructure, including cloud computing, data centers, and IoT standards, as well as other critical digital infrastructure elements. This enhancement is essential to accommodate domestic and international investments and to attract creative production work, such as film and digital content creation, to establish comprehensive end-to-end operations within the country.
- Enable Thai Operators to Compete Effectively on the Global Stage
Participants highlighted that Thai operators, particularly in AI, MarTech, and digital content sectors, require support mechanisms that create competitive advantages. These include reducing regulatory constraints, fostering Thai intellectual property development, facilitating international partnerships, and establishing proof-of-concept (POC) testing grounds with government credibility endorsement. Concurrently, SMEs face pressure to rapidly adapt to emerging technologies but lack adequate readiness, creating a critical demand-supply gap that requires urgent resolution.
- Systematically Develop Digital Talent and Address Skills-Market Mismatch
The industry sector identified that Thailand maintains a relatively low number of technology entrepreneurs, particularly in AI, compared to competing nations. Additionally, numerous new graduates remain unemployed due to skills misalignment with market demands. Consequently, recommendations emphasize in-depth skills development, skilled workforce cultivation, and expanded opportunities for youth from provincial areas to access the industry.
- Foster Growth and Strengthen Digital Communities
Entrepreneurs and professional groups expressed the need for continuous networking spaces for meetings, knowledge exchange, and collaborative activities, such as meetups, workshops, and partnership initiatives. They proposed that depa transform its facilities into an accessible Digital Hub for the digital community, facilitating new collaborative opportunities.
- Streamline Government Processes for "Accessibility, Agility, and Risk Tolerance"
The predominant feedback indicated that government procedures remain complex, proposal submissions are slow, and document review processes are time-consuming, creating barriers particularly for smaller operators. Simultaneously, the private sector advocates for government acceptance of innovation failure risks, rather than expecting universal project success, as the technology industry requires space for experimentation and learning to achieve growth.
- Establish Balanced Public-Private Sector Collaboration
Multiple sectors emphasized the need for enhanced government agency collaboration with industry associations, especially in large-scale projects such as international events, to ensure associations have substantive decision-making roles and can accurately reflect industry requirements.
- Enhance Liquidity for Thai Operators
Numerous operators highlighted that credit term issues remain significant obstacles. Despite legal stipulations of 45-day payment terms, many businesses fail to comply in practice, adversely affecting SME liquidity. Proposals call for supportive measures or guidelines to ensure fair payment systems aligned with industry realities.
- Drive Continued Growth of Thailand's Gaming Industry
The gaming industry emphasized Thailand's substantial potential to attract foreign projects and investments through systematic promotion. Participants proposed leveraging the success of gamescom x Thailand Game Show 2025 hosted in Thailand as a catalyst for attracting investors, creators, and international talent to work domestically. Furthermore, the government should decentralize activities and opportunities to regional areas, expanding pathways for provincial youth to enter the gaming industry. The sector also advocates for meaningful association and industry participation in decision-making for international events, ensuring alignment with actual industry needs. This reflects the aspiration for Thailand to become a regional hub for content and gaming in the future.
"These comprehensive insights clearly indicate that for Thailand to fully transition into a digital economy, the government must play a pivotal role in modernizing regulations, creating sustainable growth environments for operators, and establishing a comprehensive digital ecosystem encompassing infrastructure development, human capital development, and support for innovation risk-taking," stated the President/CEO of depa.
