Thailand is seeking new digital policies to manage emerging security threats, including the impacts of U.S.-China rivalry on the economy and technology, its prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Friday.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra said in an address at the country’s National Defence College, “We will accelerate policies so that the digital economy makes up 30% of GDP by 2030,” adding this would also enhance cyber security.
She noted that the government is supporting the use of artificial intelligence to boost agriculture and increase exports to China.
Thailand stands to benefit from a potential trade war by relocating investments from China and increasing exports to the United States, Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan has previously stated.
Global digital giants have also increased their investments in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand, as they compete for a larger footprint in a region of 670 million people, including a growing young and tech-savvy demographic.
Thailand has received billions of dollars in technology investments, including a regional data center for Microsoft (MSFT.O) and a $1 billion investment from Google.
