New Normal Market” project, arming local markets with digital tools, creating over 300 million baht

The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) organised “Transform Market Showcase 2022”, announcing its success on the ongoing project “Transform: New-normal Market” that equips SMEs, local shops, hawkers and stalls in 10 pilot provinces with digital technologies.

The campaign was created to access online application platforms for sales and product distributions to over 30,000 sellers, generating an economic value of over 300 million baht.

In addition, depa is now ready to move forwards in transforming the following 25 provinces to continue its process of driving Thailand to a robust digital economy. 

Newin Chochaiyathip, Vice Minister of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), said that the development of digital technology had leapt forward.

It became an essential factor that inevitably affected the way of life, economy and society, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic that urged us to stay resilient.

MDES recognised that Thailand’s most important resource that needed to be accelerated and developed was “digital skills.”

The government did not only support the public to gain access to the internet but also ensure that everyone could benefit from it and grab the opportunities to expand their knowledge, outputs, jobs and networks to improve the quality of life in all aspects.

Dr Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President and CEO of depa, said: “Transform Market Showcase 2022 aims at presenting an achievement of the ‘Transform: New-normal Market’ project that provides supports and motivates SMEs, shops, hawkers and stalls to apply digital technologies and innovations to improve their competitiveness in the market.

“The ongoing project started in September 2021 to March 2022 for the first six pilot provinces, including Bangkok, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Pathom, Chainat, Sing Buri, and Lopburi, raising public awareness in other four areas, namely Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhorn and Samut Prakan.

“The project successfully encouraged over 30,050 local businesses to join the Local Application’ and sell their products online. Over 200,000 products from 300 local markets are traded in the platform, generating over 300 million baht.”

Bangkok, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhorn were the top 3 provinces that used digital technologies the most.

At the same time, the Flea Market, Fresh Market and Hawker/Stall were the top 3 market types that have applied technologies. The top 3 digital technologies are e–payment, Service and Delivery.

The project also reported its successful training of 5 online courses via four platforms. Since August 2021, this training has overseen more than 1.2 million participants.

“The Transform: New-normal Market project encourages local sellers to access and apply new digital technologies to their businesses. The campaign has started from selecting reliable Thai digital startups and providers in 6 technologies related to e-commerce to offering online training and visiting on-site markets,” said depa President and CEO.     

“This event aims to share sellers’ true potential after accessing these digital technologies and present more market channels and market opportunities that would lead to a revolving mechanism for a greater country’s economic value.

“On the other hand, our participating digital startups and providers can also effectively access these current networks and extend and develop their technologies in accordance with the consumer behaviour in each area. We are all putting our efforts together to transform Thailand’s typical markets to the new market model by taking an important role of a creator of cashless society together.”

Dr Nuttapon said depa would undergo its next phase to reach out to over 65,000 sellers as well as to create the digital prototype markets that would cover another 25 provinces, including Lamphun, Nan, Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Burirum, Maha Sarakham, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Khanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chachoengsao, Ratchaburi, Saraburi, Chonburi, Rayong, Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang.

The project continues to ensure the strength of SMEs, shops, hawkers and stalls in applying online platforms for their sales and products delivered as well as to create the New Normal Market opportunities together by “changing all physical trades to online and moving all lifestyles to a cashless society” in the near future.

The campaign hopes to drive Thailand towards a strong, sustainable digital economic era.      

For more information, please follow updates of the “Transform: New-normal Market” project at transformmarket.depa.or.th or contact us via info.transformmarket@gmail.com and LINE OA: @transformmarket