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depa launches three institutes of IoT, AI, and Big Data to put Thai entrepreneurs on a global platform

depa launches three institutes of IoT, AI, and Big Data to drive the digital economy of Thailand, emphasizing the collaboration with VISTEC on AI to put Thai entrepreneurs on a global platform
4 June 2019 -- The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) continued to drive the digital economy of Thailand with the launch of three institutes of technology for the future of Thailand, namely IoT and Digital Innovation Institute, AI Research Center, and Government Big Data Institute. Particularly, the Memorandum of Agreement to establish the AI Research Center between Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC) and Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) was signed during the event, held at the Ballroom of the Quarter Hotel, Ladproa Soi 4.
On the IoT and Digital Innovation Institute, Dr.Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO of depa revealed that as part of its important mission to promote digital innovation business in all sectors, depa had set up the 3 institutes of IoT, AI, and Big Data to strengthen entrepreneurs, communities, and networks in all parts of the country so that they could put the knowledge of Big Data Analytics to concrete use. Designed to promote and support the development of deep technology and digital startups, the IoT and Digital Innovation Institute, dubbed Thailand Digital Valley, would provide a new technology testing ground, integrating all technological components from Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual and Augmented Reality (AR/VR), Smart Device Design and Development, 5G Applications. With this institute, depa aimed to promote, incubate, commercialize new digital technologies as well as exporting Thailand’s digital innovation to the ASEAN market. 
The institute would operate through a network of international IoT partners and serve as a center linking academic institutions, large and small enterprises, digital startups, and the general public.
As for the AI Research Center, the President/CEO of depa said that through a Memorandum of Agreement depa had partnered up with Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC) to establish an AI Research Center in Thailand with a view to build digital innovation infrastructure and promote the applications of data science and artificial intelligence.
The new AI Research Center would provide consultation and service, along with devices and equipment necessary for the R&D and testing of AI applications. Also, through a gathering of Thailand’s AI leading experts, another function of the center was to provide a Data Science and AI training and knowledge transfer platform for the country’s digital manpower, including both new graduates and existing workforce. 
On this Professor Dr. Jumras Limtrakul, President of VISTEC, added that as artificial intelligence was one of the four areas of excellence VISTEC was focusing on, he was very pleased to collaborate with depa on this research center, which would help to put VISTEC’s own frontier research into actual practice. 
Another institute of focus during the event was called the Government Big Data Institute, which was still at its inception stage of budget and staffing. Once approved, the institute would play a key role in analyzing government big data and presenting reports for the decision making of government and national committees. The institute would also provide consultancy on data curation, management and analytics, along with training and R&D support on big data. For staffing, the institute would recruit government scholars who graduated from overseas as well as technological-savvy government personnel, with a view to maximize their technological potential and return them to their original organization for scale-up. 
“depa intends to use these three institutions to drive Thailand into the digital age. With them, we could drive the economy, build digital manpower, and develop homegrown technologies. This would pave way for Thailand to become a center of technology and for Thai technology to be recognized on a global stage.” said depa President/CEO.