Thailand has made significant progress in digital development, including through its industrial transformation policy (Thailand 4.0). In line with the global trend, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated safe distancing measures have further accelerated the digital revolution. Empirical analysis, using granular product-level export data, suggests that digitalization (ICT infrastructure and usage, industrial robot installation and patents) is positively associated with higher export sophistication. While digitalization has been increasing in Thailand, there is sizable scope to further expand digital infrastructure and research and development. The analysis suggests that a multi-pronged approach with emphasis in three key dimensions-technology, investment and training-is needed to appropriately reap the benefits from digitalization.
Digital technologies offer powerful tools that public administrations can leverage on to modernize and improve their operational efficiency. Bangladesh has progressively embraced GovTech solutions over the past decade and has adopted an ambitious digitalization agenda in the 8th Five-Year Plan (FYP). This note discusses Bangladesh’s digitalization advancements and presents empirical evidence in support of GovTech efforts to improve tax revenue performance, as well as health and education outcomes.