Digital Minister opens 1st Thailand Digital ID Symposium

The Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) has joined hands with government agencies and private companies to hold the Thailand Digital ID Symposium 2019 event aimed at unlocking Thailand’s digital economic potential by learning from successful Digital ID system implementations in foreign countries, featuring discussion sessions with international experts from countries such as India, Estonia, and Singapore, regarding the development of a digital personal identification and verification system or Digital ID.

The Minister of the Digital Economy and Society, Pichet Durongkaveroj said today the government is pushing Thailand towards a digital economy, by promoting safe, fast, and secure online transactions using a Digital ID infrastructure. The government has enacted many digital-related bills enabling integration of government data, and allowing the general public to receive better, faster, and more convenient services from government agencies.

The new connectivity allows a government agency to access data from other government agencies, and the general public is only required to present their ID card for verification in most cases, reducing the use of paper. The Digital ID infrastructure will allow for completely online One Stop Service transactions without putting any burden to the general public. Non-classified government data will also be disclosed, benefiting the private sector especially startup businesses and ensuring transparency.

The Digital ID system is being rolled out in pilot phase at banks and financial institutions. It will be used initially to open new bank accounts under personal data protection regulations from government agencies. The system will also be introduced at other agencies in the future.