Cisco Launches Digitization Program in Thailand to Accelerate Digital and Creative Economy

News Summary:

• Cisco is supporting Thailand and the government’s vision for economic growth and prosperity, helping to build a digital strategy that reinforces economic, social and environmental resilience
• Collaboration framework under Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program to drive innovation and power an inclusive future for all
• The pillars of Cisco’s CDA program in Thailand include connected healthcare, smart cities solutions, cybersecurity and 5G for enterprises

Today, Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, and Cisco, a worldwide leader in technology, announced the launch of a collaborative framework under Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program to accelerate digitization across the country and power an inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The framework was introduced at a hybrid event attended by Mr. Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Mr. Michael Heath, Chargé d’ Affaires a.i. of the U.S. Mission in Thailand, Francine Katsoudas, Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer at Cisco, Guy Diedrich, Senior Vice President and Global Innovation Officer at Cisco, Bee Kheng Tay, President, Cisco ASEAN, and Taveewat Chantaraseno, Managing Director, Cisco Thailand.

Cisco’s CDA team collaborates with governments worldwide to accelerate their national digitization agendas and deliver beneficial services to their citizens faster and more effectively. The CDA program in Thailand is strategically aligned with the government’s Thailand 4.0 initiative, which is aimed at triggering a new wave of economic growth in the country. It aims to build the country’s competitive advantage with a focus on key technologies to enhance productivity, quality, and innovation in key sectors across the country.

“Thailand’s economy has always been a torch bearer for the region. We are focused on ensuring that we continue to lead the way in the post-pandemic future, which will be led by digital adoption, technology, and innovation. To fully leverage the potential of a digital future, all stakeholders will be the key players. We are delighted to work together with Cisco to launch their CDA program in the country. This is a significant step in making our digital future a reality,” said Mr. Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society.

Cisco’s CDA program in Thailand will focus on three key areas: Digital acceleration of local enterprises, technology and business innovation, and digitization of national infrastructure. These areas will be underpinned by a focus on cybersecurity, which is critical to the success of any digital initiative. Through these strategic pillars, Cisco intends to invest its technologies, infrastructure, tools, knowledge, and expertise to empower crucial stakeholders to enact their digital transformation plans.

“At Cisco, we are committed to powering an inclusive future for all. We believe that technology has a huge role to play in enabling that. Our CDA program is key in our efforts to support governments and businesses in achieving their economic and digitization goals as we recover from the global pandemic together. We are delighted to have the opportunity to introduce this program in Thailand,” said Francine Katsoudas, EVP and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer at Cisco.

The CDA program in Thailand will drive various initiatives, with specific focus on the following areas:

• Connected Healthcare: Cisco will work with an array of healthcare stakeholders to leverage technology to enable delivery of healthcare services across the country, especially in rural areas. This is a critical priority area as the pandemic has highlighted the important role technology plays in ensuring quality healthcare for everyone regardless of location.
• 5G for Enterprises: Cisco will help develop and test new 5G network solutions to bring more value to enterprises and enhanced network experiences to customers. This is critical as with the ability to transmit huge amounts of data at faster speeds, 5G will help bridge the gap between customers, apps, and business technologies. It will help boost real-time predictive maintenance, smarter automation, and even whole new business models, especially in key sectors like manufacturing.
• Smart Cities and Transportation: Cisco will contribute to Thailand’s socio-economic development with its industry leading technologies that power the underlying infrastructure for Smart Cities. It will especially focus on modernizing transportation investment within the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and in mega projects for air, rail, land, and sea transportation across the country.
• Cybersecurity: Cisco will establish a cybersecurity training center in Thailand to upskill local talent in the sector. The Cybersecurity Academy is a controlled, interactive environment where current and prospective cybersecurity professionals can collaborate to detect, investigate, and mitigate cyber-attacks. Through such exercises, organizations can incorporate skills and processes that will enhance the capability to effectively respond to an incident in real-life and reduce its potential impact. In addition, Cisco will help build a resilient and sustainable cybersecurity framework for Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) in Thailand.

“Over the past two years, digital interactions and cloud-first models have become the default for businesses across Thailand, driven in large part by the pandemic. Businesses have seen first-hand the opportunities that digital adoption can create. That, coupled with the government’s focus on Thailand 4.0, means there has never been a better time for public-private partnership to realize the country’s digitization agenda. At Cisco, we are committed to work together with all stakeholders to drive a new era of growth, tackle the cybersecurity risks, and power an inclusive future for all by addressing the digital divide,” said Taveewat Chantaraseno, Managing Director, Cisco Thailand.

Cisco’s CDA program aims to stimulate global digitization. Currently, Cisco is working with national, state, and local governments in 44 countries around the world, to accelerate their national digitization agendas, co-develop cutting-edge solutions, and deliver beneficial services to their citizens more effectively. Cisco’s CDA programs have supported the creation of net-new jobs, GDP growth, and helped nurture innovation ecosystems.