M. A. Haque Anu, returning from Thailand

On the second week of October, 2008, I paid a visit to Thailand, while our beloved Abdullah H Kafi, Managing Director of JAN Associates and Vice President of ASOCIO (Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organization), was also there. Its my great pleasure that Abdullah H Kafi made an arrangement to have a meet with Bunrak Saraggananda, President of ATCI (The Association of Thai ICT Industry). It is worthwhile to mention here that ATCI, established in 1989, represents Thailands information and communication technology industry by promoting and facilitating the industrys excellence that adds value to the Thai economy and society. ATCI is composed of 75 corporate members engaged in hardware, software, ICT business and professional services.

I did not miss the opportunity to have a short discussion with Bunrak, to know as much as I could about the ICT sector of Thailand. I got a short but clear picture about Thai ICT sector during the discussion with him. Now I like to share my experience with computer Jagat readers, as I enjoyed from the discussion with the very resourceful person of Thai ICT sector.

According to him, South-East Asian nation Thailand during the last 2 years has achieved a good progress in the ICT field, though the country was politically volatile during this period. Thailand is a member of ASEAN, the biggest regional economic alliance of the world. Thailand was also one of the initiator of BIMSTEC, another South Asian regional economic alliance. In the last 3 decades Thailand has experienced a satisfactory economic growth, which has positively touched the ICT sector too. Its ICT sector growth in 2008 was 4.1 per cent over 2007.

In response to one of my question Bunrak Saraggananda informed me about the activities of ATCI that it organizes workshops, seminars, conferences, annual ICI exhibition and software fair. It conducts computer market survey and industry outlook. It also engages itself in training and educational activities. ATCI participates in the Thai governments ICT committee to work on national IT policy and ICT plans and programmes. It also provides views and recommendations on ICT related matters to Thai government. The member companies of ATCI now control the 80 per cent IT trades in Thailand.

He also added that they award every year a successful software professional as software prince with a prize money of worth 1 million Thai Baht, another prize of worth same value is awarded to the best software user company of the country.

He also noted that, the key sectors of the Thai economy are tourism, automobile, agriculture and health. Moreover it produces 2 hundred thousand cars each year. Almost all the famous car producing companies now have their factories in Thailand. Of the total products 40 per cent cars are used for domestic purpose, while the rests are exported to other countries.

As of Thais ICT markets in 2007 computer hardware of worth 68,387 million Baht, was sold, while in 2008 it reaches to 73,387 million Baht. In 2007 and 2008 computer software were sold of worth 57,178 million Baht and 68,268 million Baht respectively. While in the communi-cation sector the amount of sales in 2007 was 3,91,218 million Baht and 4,41,548 million Baht in 2008. Total ICT sector experienced a 4.1 per cent growth in 2008. ICT market value in Thailand increased largely in 2008.

If we go to review the Thai ICT market value, we would observe that in 2008 IT market has increased largely. In 2007 the IT market value was 2,04,535 million Baht. In 2008 it in creased at rate of 14.4 per cent and reaches to the amount of 2,34,073 million Baht. Segment wise during this period hardware market expanded 31 per cent, software market 29 per cent, computer service 11 per cent and data communication market expanded at the rate of 29 per cent. It is clear from these statistics that even in the troublesome world economic environment Thai ICT market has expanded satisfactorily.

Thailand with a 66 million population, of which 90 per cent are educated, has prioritized its ICT education. To make Thailand ably competitive with the other nations it produces 10 Thousand IT professional each year. But according to Burnak Saraggananda, they need more ICT professionals to meet their domestic demand. They intend to hire a good number of Bangladeshi graduate professionals to meet the same. Our policy-makers should keep in mind the matter so that our IT graduates may avail the opportunity. They should be cautious about it, as our past experience about this never was so satisfactory.

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