Sepo mulls use of Ant’s big data idea

The State Enterprise Policy Office (Sepo) has floated the idea of applying the Ant Financial model, which leverages big data technology, to analyse consumer behaviour.

If the idea takes shape, Sepo will use the technology to analyse the lending database of specialised financial institutions to help a company, which will be set up and separately operated, to put out products that meet consumer demand, said directorgeneral Ekniti Nitithanprapas.

Even if Sepo does not apply the model, others will, as state enterprises under Sepo’s supervision already have many products and resources and big data technology will allow them better access to consumers, he said, adding that Thailand Post’s extensive network can be used to ship these products.

The model could be a part of Sepo’s plan to apply big data technology to all state enterprises in compliance with Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak’s policy to connect state enterprises’ database to raise efficiency in providing services and use the database to set specific policy, Mr Ekniti said.

If the database of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, the Provincial Electricity Authority, the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority and the Provincial Waterworks Authority can be connected, money can be saved and efficiency can improve as they can jointly plan out water pipelines and power lines to avoid repeated drilling.

With big data technology, the government can map out a clear-cut plan to help people and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Mr Ekniti said.

Sepo wants to build open-platform big data technology to allow not only state agencies, but also the private sector, access to data.

Initially, it plans to offer the data on three platforms: SME Intelligence, Smart Utility and Travel Port.

For Travel Port, all data from related tourism agencies including Thai Airways International Plc, Airports of Thailand Plc and Aeronautical Radio of Thailand will be integrated for better management.

Mr Ekniti said that state enterprises as of the end of October had taken out 240 billion baht worth of investment budget, 80% of the 344 billion target.