Ministry of Digital Economy and Society

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (Abrv: MDES; Thai: กระทรวงดิจิทัลเพื่อเศรษฐกิจและสังคม, RTGS: Krasuang Dichithan Phuea Setthakit Lae Sangkhom), formerly known as the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), Thai: กระทรวงเทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศและการสื่อสาร, is a cabinet ministry of Thailand. MICT was established on 3 October 2002 by the Administrative Reorganisation Act, 2002.^[5] The new ministry was created as the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society by the Re-organization of Ministry, Bureau and Department Act, B.E. 2558.^[6]

Ministry of Digital Economy and Society

กระทรวงดิจิทัลเพื่อเศรษฐกิจและสังคม
Seal of Budha holding a scripture and a sword, with halo indicating wisdom[1]
Ministry overview
Formed	16 September 2016; 8 years ago (2016-09-16)[2]
Preceding Ministry	Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT)[3]
Jurisdiction	Government of Thailand
Headquarters	Chaeng Watthana Government Complex, Building B, Chaeng Watthana Road, Lak Si, Bangkok
Annual budget	7,684 million baht (FY2017)[4]
Minister responsible	Prasert Jantararuangtong, Minister of Digital Economy and Society
Ministry executive	Wisit Wisitsora-At, Permanent Secretary
Website	www.mdes.go.th

History

In September 2016, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) was dissolved and replaced by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. The ministry assumed the responsibilities of MICT. MICT's former agencies, the National Statistical Office of Thailand, the Thai Meteorological Department, the Electronic Transactions Development Agency, Thailand Post, TOT, and CAT Telecom, are to be transferred to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society. The National Disaster Warning Center, formerly under MICT, is to be transferred to the Interior Ministry.^[7] MICT's Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) was dissolved and some of its staff transferred to a newly established unit, the Digital Economy Promotion Agency under MDES.^[8]

In 2018 the ministry plans to set up a cybersecurity agency and hacker training centre. It will recruit at least 1,000 trainers to educate people in 24,700 villages nationwide to use information communication technology (ICT) to construct "national broadband villages".^[9]

Departments

Administration

• Office of the Minister
• Office of the Permanent Secretary^[10]

Dependent departments

• Thai Meteorological Department
• National Statistical Office of Thailand
• Office of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission
• Anti-Fake News Center

Public companies

• NT Public Company, Ltd
• Thailand Post Company, Ltd

Public organizations

• Electronic Transactions Development Agency
• Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA)^[5]
• National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA)
• Office of the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC)
• Television Pool of Thailand (TPT)

See also

• List of ministries of Thailand
• Censorship in Thailand
• Internet censorship and surveillance by country – Thailand

References

1. "กําหนดภาพเครื่องหมายราชการตามพระราชบัญญัติเครื่องหมายราชการพุทธศักราช ๒๔๘๒ (ฉบับที่ ๒๙๑)" [Official seals (issue 291)] (PDF) (in Thai). Royal Thai Government Gazette. 11 January 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 30, 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
2. "Phrarātchabanyan prapprung krasuang thabuang krom (chabap thī sipčhet) phutthasakkarāt sǭng phan hā rǭi hāsip kāo" พระราชบัญญัติปรับปรุงกระทรวง ทบวง กรม (ฉบับที่ ๑๗) พ.ศ. ๒๕๕๙ [Administrative Reorganisation Act (No. 17), 2016] (PDF). Government Gazette of Thailand (in Thai). 133 (80 A). Bangkok: Cabinet Secretariat of Thailand. 2016-09-15. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 15, 2016. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
3. "Phrarātchabanyan prapprung krasuang thabuang krom phutthasakkarāt sǭng phan hā rǭi sīsip hā" พระราชบัญญัติปรับปรุงกระทรวง ทบวง กรม พ.ศ. ๒๕๔๕ [Administrative Reorganisation Act, 2002] (PDF). Government Gazette of Thailand (in Thai). 119 (99 A). Bangkok: Cabinet Secretariat of Thailand. 2002-10-02. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2011. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
4. Thailand's Budget in Brief Fiscal Year 2017 (PDF). Bangkok: Bureau of the Budget. n.d. p. 83. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 December 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
5. "About Us". Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT). Retrieved 24 December 2015.
6. Suvansombut, Nuppol (16 September 2016). "Govt establishes Ministry of Digital Economy and Society". National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT). Retrieved 17 September 2016.
7. Tortermvasana, Komsan (10 June 2016). "New digital ministry to replace ICT in September". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
8. Boonnoon, Jirapan (16 September 2016). "Digital Economy and Society Ministry set up". The Nation. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
9. Apisitniran, Lamonphet (11 January 2018). "Digital Ministry plans cybersecurity agency". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
10. "DE Ministry chief gets S44 shift". Bangkok Post. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2016.

External links

• MICT website