Thailand and Cambodia are ready to promote cooperation on digital economy as a path towards inclusive growth and post COVID-19 economic recovery during an online seminar “Connecting Digital Opportunities between Thailand and Cambodia”.

On 9 September 2021, an online seminar on “Connecting Digital Opportunities between Thailand and Cambodia” was co-hosted by the Department of East Asian Affairs, the International Studies Center (ISC) and the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Bangkok as the two countries are embracing digital economy as a path towards inclusive growth and speedy economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The seminar was joined by policy makers and technology startups from both Thailand and Cambodia to exchange information on emerging trends, policies and developments which are shaping the digital economy in both countries. They also discussed possible areas of cooperation to connect and enlarge the pool of digital opportunities between the two countries.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Ajaree Sriratanaban, Director-General of the Department of East Asian Affairs, stressed the need for Thailand and Cambodia to move forward together in the fast-changing digital era and to harness the power of the digital transformation for the benefits of their businesses and peoples, especially SMEs and young entrepreneurs, through closer interlinkages between their respective digital economy ecosystems.

Mr. Hideaki Iwasaki Country, Director of ADB Thailand Resident Mission, the keynote speaker, said that digital platforms are expected to propel Asia’s economic recovery, help attain the SDGs, and improve the region’s quality of policymaking through big data. He also suggested that in order to unlock the digital potential of Thailand and Cambodia, priority should be given to improving affordable ICT infrastructure, e-payment options, logistics infrastructure, digital literacy, taxation policies, and regulatory frameworks for data privacy and cybersecurity between the two countries.

During the panel discussion, all panelists from the private sector highlighted the fast-growing digital economy in both Thailand and Cambodia, especially e-commerce, which is supported by the high level of internet penetration, more payment options and the emergence of efficient
last-mile delivery. They emphasised that the development of digital economy should be inclusive for everyone to be able to take part and benefit from it. They also exchanged views on possible ways to make Thailand and Cambodia more digitally connected through harmonisation of rules and regulations on taxation, customs, data privacy and the interoperability of systems, including digital ID verification and KYC (know your customer) processes.

Dr. Kasititorn Pooparadai, Senior Executive Vice President, Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) of Thailand, and His Excellency
Dr. Kong Marry, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Economy and Finance of Cambodia, gave an overview of their respective government policies on digital economy as a main driver of economic and social development. They agreed that Thailand and Cambodia should promote closer collaboration on smart cities, development of shared digital solutions and platforms, capacity development, resource mobilisation, and programmes to connect startups and investors through DEPA’s Digital Startup Institute. Dr. Marry also proposed a bilateral digital economy agreement between Thailand and Cambodia to foster interoperability of standards and systems and support businesses across the two countries.

His Excellency Ouk Sorphorn, Ambassador of Cambodia to Thailand, closed the seminar by saying that Thailand and Cambodia should focus on closing the digital gap between the two countries, promoting partnership between governments and the private sector, and opening up more opportunities for small businesses and young entrepreneurs in both countries through education and capacity development.

It is expected that results of the seminar, including its key recommendations, will be reported for consideration by the next Joint Commission (JC) for Bilateral Cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia which is scheduled to be held later this year. The meeting is to be co-chaired by
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of both Thailand and Cambodia.