Title: Smart Thailand: Major push to achieve digital change
Author: Jirapan Boonnoon
Source: The Nation
Date (published): 09/09/2011
Date (accessed): 21/09/2011
Type of information: article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"IT infrastructure to cover 80% of country within four years
Government agencies are planning a major push to help the country achieve "Smart Thailand" status, involving the widespread use of information technology and the adoption of international standards, to prepare Thailand for implementation of the Asean Economic Community in 2015.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Anudith Nakornthap said Smart Thailand would involve smart connected community networks, smart digital government services and smart collaborative business support.

He said the ministry expected to lay down information-technology infrastructure to cover about 80 or 85 per cent of the country within the next four years. E-government services will be developed and provided at the same time.

He did not disclose how much the government expected to spend in laying down the ICT infrastructure.

He said the ministry aimed also to establish the use of smart ID cards as personal identification for accessing hospital services and e-government services, as well as in e-business transactions.

It is planning to use the Universal Service Fund, which is sponsored by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) in order to provide equal access to IT services in remote areas of the country, and to ask service providers to give free Wi-Fi services to communities as a form of corporate social responsibility."

Title: Bottom of the Pyramid Expenditure Patterns on Mobile Services in Selected Emerging Asian Countries
Authors: Aileen Agüero, Aileen Agüero, Juhee Kang
Pages: 14 pp.
ISBN: 1544-7529
e-ISBN: 1544-7537
Source: Information Technologies & International Development; Vol 7, Issue 3 - Mobile Telephony Special Issue, 19-32 pp.
Publisher: USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism
Date (published): 09/09/2011
Date (accessed): 13/09/2011
Type of information: Peer-reviewed article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
"This article analyzes patterns of expenditure on mobile phone services at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP), following users in six Asian countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Thailand. We examine whether mobile phone services in the selected countries display characteristics of a luxury good or those of a necessity. We first evaluate the expenditure patterns of mobile phone services among five income groups within the BoP. Then, we estimate the income elasticity of mobile phone services using Engel curves. Based on these analyses, we conclude that mobile phone services are necessities at the BoP. We also find that any increase in price or tax adds the greatest burden on the poorest of the poor. We argue that the current high tax on mobile phone services in developing countries in Asia has an adverse effect on the poor."

Title: Who's got the phone? Gender and the use of the telephone at the bottom of the pyramid
Authors: Ayesha Zainudeen, Tahani Iqbal, and Rohan Samarajiva
Pages: 37 pp.
Source: LIRNEasia
Date (published): 15/06/2010
Date (accessed): 17/06/2010
Type of information: research paper, pre-publication draft
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
Much has been said about women’s access to and use of the telephone. Many studies conclude that a significant gender divide in access exists particularly in developing countries. Women are also said to use telephones in a different manner from men – making and receiving more calls, spending more time on calls, and using telephones primarily for ‘relationship maintenance’ purposes, in contrast to men. However, much of this research on usage patterns is based on small-sample studies in affluent developed countries. The article provides evidence that a significant gender divide in access to telephones exists in Pakistan and India, to a lesser extent in Sri Lanka, but is generally absent in the Philippines and Thailand. This article also challenges some of the findings of studies which claim that women’s and men’s use is fundamentally different, shedding light on women’s access to and use of telecom services at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) in five Emerging Asian markets.

Title: Bottom of the Pyramid Expenditure Patterns on Mobile Phone Services in Selected Emerging Asian Countries
Authors: Aileen Agüero, Harsha de Silva
Pages: 29 pp.
Source: CPRsouth
Date (published): 15/12/2009
Date (accessed): 22/12/2009
Type of information: conference paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
This paper evaluates the importance of mobile telephone expenditure in consumer budgets of the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) in Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Thailand. We examine if mobile phone services in the selected countries display characteristics of a luxury good or that of a necessity. Upon evaluating the expenditure patterns as a share of total personal income we conclude the service to be a necessity.
Welfare and poverty issues are then addressed with the estimation of Engel curves, as they show how consumption of various goods and services change with variations in the consumer’s income. We estimate Engel curves for expenditure on mobile telephone services for the BOP in the selected countries to show that mobile phones are part of everyday lives among the selected consumer group.

See also:
Presentation pdf

Title: A 'smarter' Thailand through ICT
Authors: Lay Cheng Tan and Rojana Manowalailao
Source: Bangkok Post
Publisher: The Post Publishing Public Company Limited
Date published: 28/07/2009
Date accessed: 09/08/2009
Type of information: newspaper article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
"A "Smarter Thailand" with "Smarter People" and a "Smarter Government" - this is the main goal of Thailand's second Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Master Plan for 2009-2013, drafted by the National Electronic and Computer Technology Center (Nectec).

Progress in the use of ICT in education has been very slow and uneven.

ICT literacy as a goal

The plan aims to increase Thailand's ICT readiness to enable the country to become a major competitor in the global market.

One of its objectives is to encourage 50 percent of the population above 15 years old to be ICT-literate and able to use computers in all areas of their lives.

Human resource development and capacity building will be a major strategy for meeting this target. "

See also:
Second National ICT Master Plan 2552-2556 (2009-2013)
Some further information based on the rough translation of the original document.

Title: The Adoption and Use of Personal Internet Banking Services in Thailand
Author: Surapong Prompattanapakdee
Pages: 31 pp.
ISSN: 1681-4835
Source: EJISDC (2009) 37, 6, 1-31
Publisher: The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries
Date published: 2009
Date accessed: 22/06/2009
Type of information: research paper
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
Based on existing theory and previous studies a theoretical model of the important variables that affect the adoption and use of personal Internet Banking services is developed. Using data collected by questionnaire from 618 respondents the theoretical model is analyzed and simplified using structural equation modeling techniques. The findings represented in the final model are: interpreted; compared to the findings from previous studies; and used to draw conclusions which are of practical use for those involved in the development and use of personal Internet Banking.