Scholar Criticizes Thailand Big Data Strategy Draft Over Redundancy Concerns
Olarn Thinbangteo critiques the 2025-2027 Big Data strategic plan, urging the government to avoid hiring 160,000 new personnel and instead upskill existing staff.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Olarn Thinbangteo reviews the 2025-2027 Big Data strategic plan draft.
- Warns that the Digital Ministry's role may overlap with the National Statistical Office.
- Opposes adding 160,000 new staff, advocating for upskilling current civil servants instead.
- Raises concerns over potential vested interests similar to the TH-AI Passport project.
Thailand's push toward a comprehensive national Big Data system has drawn sharp criticism from academics, particularly regarding the draft 2025-2027 Big Data strategic plan overseen by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, with the Big Data Institute (BDI) acting as a core driving agency.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Olarn Thinbangteo, a lecturer in the Faculty of Political Science and Law at Burapha University, noted that while the principle of Big Data is vital for consolidating up-to-date citizen data—such as spending habits and healthcare records—to design precise public policies, the ultimate success depends on whether the government genuinely intends to solve public problems or merely seeks benefits from the project.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Reflecting on past state data collection, Olarn pointed out that previous data compiled by agencies like the National Statistical Office was often outdated and inaccurate. A prime example is the state welfare card scheme, where the Ministry of Finance's database failed to accurately verify genuine low-income recipients despite local village heads knowing the reality on the ground. True success requires cross-departmental data integration rather than just establishing a new database.
National-level Big Data integration is a complex engineering and administrative challenge. Governments worldwide often struggle with data silos where different departments refuse to share information. Establishing a centralized, interoperable data architecture requires strict data governance, robust cybersecurity, and transparent procurement processes to prevent corruption and vendor lock-in.
A particularly contentious point is the proposal to recruit 160,000 new personnel to manage the Big Data initiative. Olarn argued that this addition is completely unnecessary given the already bloated civil service bureaucracy. Instead of inflating public expenditure with salaries and welfare for new hires, the government should focus on upskilling existing underutilized personnel to handle data collection and analysis tasks.
Furthermore, questions were raised regarding institutional overlap. Assigning the digital ministry to spearhead the project raises the question of why the National Statistical Office exists, potentially creating redundant bureaucracy contrary to the Prime Minister's policies. Olarn concluded that without transparent intentions, this national strategy risks repeating controversies similar to the TH-AI Passport project, where noble intentions may disproportionately benefit political insiders and corporate allies.
Source: Matichon Politics
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