Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha gives the opening address at the PostToday Forum in Bangkok on Thursday. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

Thailand still has some way to go before it can benefit from a "digital economy", including passing of necessary laws, infrastructure development and technology transfers, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said when opening the PostToday Forum in Bangkok on Thursday.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha gives the opening address at the PostToday Forum in Bangkok on Thursday. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

The forum on changes that a digital economy will bring to Thailand was held at the Centara Grand Central Plaza Ladprao hotel.

Gen Prayut said in his opening address that going digital would modernise the Thai economy, guarantee its smooth expansion, save time and cut costs.

He gave an assurance his government would pass amending laws to facilitate digital economic policies, and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology would coordinate these policies for social and economic development.

Legislative amendments would be proposed to the National Legislative Assembly in January 2015.

The prime minister said the state would also have to establish an efficient national data centre, national broadband networks and digital gateways to gather and integrate information from the government sector that both Thai and foreign business interests could access.

Such a central database could end the flow of inconsistent information from different government agencies, help businesses save on costs and time, and prevent bad decisions made because of a lack of reliable information.

Gen Prayut said that although Thailand is a manufacturer of high technology, it must still import important parts for these products. He would invite foreign businesses to establish a complete manufacturing line in Thailand and transfer the technology to Thailand.

He said the government would apply digital solutions to enhance the capabilities of small and medium enterprises and to prepare people to enter a full digital economy. Digital services would cover all levels, including the elderly, he said.