The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) organized “Transform Market Showcase 2022”, announcing its success on the ongoing project “Transform: New-normal Market” that equips SMEs, local shops, hawkers and stalls in 10 pilot provinces with digital technologies.
The campaign successfully hit its target, created access and online application platforms for sales and product distributions to over 30,000 sellers, generating an economic value of over 300 million baht. In addition, depa is now ready to move forwards in transforming the next 25 provinces to continue its process of driving Thailand to a full digital economy.
Mr. Newin Chochaiyathip, Vice Minister of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) said that the development of digital technology has taken a leap forward. It became an important factor that inevitably affected the way of life, economy and society, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic that urged us to stay resilient. MDES recognized that the most important resource needed to be accelerated and developed for Thailand was the “digital skills”. Therefore, the government did not only support public to gain an access to the internet but also had to ensure that everyone can benefit from it as well as grab the opportunities to expand their knowledge, outputs, jobs and networks in order to sustainably improve the quality of life in all aspects.
Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President and CEO of depa, said that the “Transform Market Showcase 2022” aims at presenting an achievement of “Transform: New-normal Market” project that provides supports and motivates SMEs, shops, hawkers and stalls to apply digital technologies and innovations to improve their competitiveness in the market. The ongoing project started in September 2021 to March 2022 for the first 6 pilot provinces, including Bangkok, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Pathom, Chainat, Sing Buri and Lopburi and also raising public awareness in other 4 areas, namely Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhorn and Samut Prakan. The project also successfully encouraged over 30,050 local businesses to join the “Local Application” and sell their products online. Over 200,000 products from 300 local markets are traded in the platform, generating over 300 million baht.
Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhorn were the top 3 provinces that used digital technologies the most while the Flea Market, Fresh Market and Hawker/Stall were the top 3 market types that have applied technologies the most. The top 3 digital technologies are e–payment, Service and Delivery. The project also reported its successful trainings of 5 online courses via 4 platforms, including YouTube, Facebook Group, Classwin and Digital Skill. Since August 2021, these trainings have overseen more than 1.2 million participants.
“The “Transform: New-normal Market” project is encouraging local sellers to access and apply new digital technologies to their businesses. The campaign has started from selecting reliable Thai digital startups and providers in 6 technologies related to e-commerce, to offering online trainings, and to visiting on-site markets. This event aims at sharing the true potential of sellers after accessing to these digital technologies and presenting more market channels and market opportunities that would lead to a revolving mechanism for a greater country’s economic value. On the other hand, our participated digital startups and providers can also effectively access this current networks as well as are able to extend and develop their technologies in accordance with the consumer behavior in each area. We are all putting our efforts together to transform Thailand’s typical markets to the freshly new market model by taking an important role of a creator of cashless society together,” said depa President and CEO.
Dr. Nuttapon also added that depa would undergo its next phase to reach out to over 65,000 sellers as well as to create the digital prototype markets that would cover another 25 provinces, including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun, Nan, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Burirum, Maha Sarakham, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Khanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chachoengsao, Ratchaburi, Saraburi, Chonburi, Rayong, Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang. The continuation of the project is to ensure the strength of SMEs, shops, hawkers and stalls in applying online platforms for their sales and products delivery as well as to create the New Normal Market opportunities together by “changing all physical trades to online and moving all lifestyles to cashless society” in the near future. The campaign hopes to drive Thailand towards a strong sustainable digital economic era.
For more information, please follow updates of the “Transform: New-normal Market” project at transformmarket.depa.or.th or contact us via info.transformmarket@gmail.com and LINE OA: @transformmarket
