The Digital Economy and Society (DE) Ministry plans to set up a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) affiliate in the country this year to strengthen collaboration on digital economy development with the 4IR Centre in Silicon Valley.
The network is operated by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The move aims to capitalise on public-private cooperation via emerging technology breakthroughs, including in robotics, biotech, artificial intelligence (AI), nanotech, quantum computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, 5G and fully autonomous vehicles.
Having an affiliation with the 4IR Centre will facilitate collaboration among Asean countries, especially as Thailand serves as Asean chair this year.
DE Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj said he is considering developing an agency under the ministry to serve as the 4IR affiliate.
The WEF has 4IR Centre affiliates in several countries, including China, India, Japan and the UAE.
Mr Pichet is also a commissioner for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) broadband commission.
The WEF 2019 Forum held several important meetings, covering the Asian digital age, the Asean agenda and the ITU broadband meeting.
Mr Pichet said the forum considered several emerging tech breakthroughs affecting 4IR, especially AI, cybersecurity and industrial IoT.
AI technology will provide business opportunities to industrial sectors and innovative tasks, displacing many workforces, he said, adding that building a digital workforce through up-skilling or re-skilling training is critical for all countries.
Mr Pichet said that all Thais should have at least some basic knowledge of technology for daily use.
Machines will eventually replace the human workforce, a situation Thailand needs to prepare for, he said.
Cybersecurity is on the Asean forum's agenda this year, along with smart cities, connectivity and mobility, harmonisation and alignment, and manpower and society.
The government has been pushing a series of draft bills on the digital economy through soft infrastructure, especially with a cybersecurity draft bill under consideration by a commission of the National Legislative Assembly. The draft bill is expected to go into effect by February.
