Public records online by 2021
The Electronic Government Agency (EGA) is consolidating public data sources by category into a single open digital data platform to give both private and public sectors a single point of access.
The agency hopes to completely merge all existing 10,000 categories of public data sets onto an EGA website, www.data.go.th, by 2021.
The development is aimed at seamlessly integrating internal data resources from multiple state agencies as it tries to enhance efficiency in data use, said EGA president Sak Segkhoonthod.
“This move is part of our effort to drive the execution of the government’s Thailand 4.0 scheme,” he said.
Mr Sak said only 900 data sets of the 10,000 categories have been listed at www. data.go.th.
More importantly, most of the data sources on the website are in a raw data file format in a separate state agency account, which is not practical for effective implementation of data integrity in the digital era, he said.
The website also supplies too little information to enable effective data analysis, said Mr Sak.
Created in 2015, the EGA’s website is intended to enhance the interoperability between government agencies and private companies. The website has attracted few visitors thus far.
“We are urging all state agencies to share more of their data with the website,” he said.
The data will be divided into different categories such as business registration, city management systems, transportation, disaster and warning systems, agriculture, education, corruption index and record of state investment projects, and labour employment index.
Mr Sak said the EGA is installing an application programming interface to define all of the website’s data structures to make data transfer easier between different types of computer software applications.
A more efficient use of public data resources could help companies enhance the development of their creative and innovative businesses, he said.
The EGA is also calling on the private sector to share more of their data resources with the website to pave the way for the creation of a national open data pool in the future.
Mr Sak said the EGA has identified the top 10 digital transformation trends for 2017 and submitted a list for government support to complete its digital conversion by 2021. The trends are: electronic national ID card systems; big data analytics in collecting citizens’ personal data; e-payment systems supporting a cashless society; data management systems; cloud-based government data centres; one-stop government services; open data sources; digital workforce; cybersecurity; and training courses on digital skills for state officials.