BANGKOK, Jan 23 – Thailand’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ministry has set a goal to install free 300,000 WiFi service points nationwide in the second quarter of this year.
ICT Minister Anudith Nakornthap said the government is pushing the smart Thailand project to provide the public access to the Internet. Part of the move is to welcome the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which will take effect in 2015.
Thailand installed 100,000 free WiFi service points countrywide last year, he said.
Mr Anudith spoke of the progress with free WiFi service in the country at an academic seminar among Thai and Japanese-related agencies on “Wireless Broadband Experience”.
At the seminar, Japan expressed interest in the growing direction of Thailand’s ICT business.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Shigekazu Sato said Japan’s investment in Thailand last year reached a record high at Bt370 billion, while the number of Japanese travellers entering Thailand rose 20 per cent, reflecting the continuously growing Thai economy.
Last week’s visit to Thailand of Japanese PM Shinzo Abe signalled that Japan is ready to collaborate with Thailand on linking trade and investments with other countries in the region.
