Huawei Partners with Nakhon Si Thammarat and NCSA to Continue Upskilling Thailand's Digital Workforce Through the 'Digital Bus for Remote Areas' Project

Mr. Kajonkiat Rakpanichmanee, Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat, commented on the 'Digital Bus for Remote Areas' project during its outset at Khanompittaya School: "The upskilling of Thailand's future workforce is a top priority that the public and private sector are currently focused on. This is especially true for digital transformation, where building a digital workforce is crucial in giving countries a competitive advantage. We are very grateful to see the benefits this partnership is having on Thai education with both theoretical and practical knowledge in digital technologies being provided for students in remote areas. This includes fostering understanding and knowledge on clean energy and environmental care with the youth of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The project will ensure that they can develop into a strong ICT workforce for Thailand in future. These efforts are in line with the province's 5-year development Plan (2023 - 2027), where one of the main goals is to manage natural resources and environmental sustainably."

AVM Amorn Chomchoey, Secretary General of NCSA, said: "Thailand currently has 61.21 million internet users, an equivalent of 85.3% of the entire population. The amount of time spent online and on digital activities in Thailand is as high as 8 hours per day, while Thai people's usage of mobile banking is ranked fifth globally. Providing education and knowledge on cybersecurity to the public is therefore one of the country's top priorities and an urgent agenda for the NCSA. This includes building knowledge with youths in remote areas to prepare them for cyber threats and the various measures available, both preventative and reactive. The 'Digital Bus for Remote Areas' project by Huawei is a testament to the partnership between government agencies and leading firms to enhance the digital technology skills of the next generation and upskill Thailand's future ICT workforce."

Mr. Surachai Chatchalermpun, Country Cybersecurity and Privacy Officer, Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd., added: "Thailand is still faced with digital literacy inequalities, especially in remote areas. Building up digital technology literacy is key to the country's digital transformation. Huawei is committed to driving Thailand's social equity by elevating digital technology development and literacy through various projects including the Digital Bus. This flagship project is considered one of the key drivers in providing the necessary knowledge, skills, and adoption of digital technology that will bridge the gap for people in remote areas. We view digital technology skills as a priority that needs to be learned and integrated into everyday life and up through the professional career of each person."

Over the past two years, Huawei has been continuously driving the Digital Bus project through partnerships with the public and private sectors to ensure that the world-class technologies developed by Huawei, including 5G, AI, IOT, Cloud, and more, can help accelerate digital skills development for Thailand's future ICT workforce across 13 provinces. Today, the Digital Bus project has built a wealth of knowledge in various aspects including cybersecurity as well as upskilled Thailand's future workforce in primary and secondary schools. Huawei also partnered with the Office of Commercial Affairs, Phayao Province, through the Ministry of Commerce to provide the latest technology trends to local government employees. The company also provided training to 700 craft workers, registered and unregistered, through its partnership with the Phetchabun Department of Skill

Development, Ministry of Labor. This year's Digital Bus project is the first partnership between Huawei and NCSA in an effort to build knowledge in cybersecurity in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The Khanompittaya School utilizes The National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC)'s USO Net building as a computer lab and the digital bus project saw over 300 students receive in-depth training on digital knowledge, cybersecurity, and data privacy to prepare them for cyber threats. It also raised awareness of clean and renewable energy among youths as well as nurtured a mindset of environmental care through activities such as planting trees in school areas. The activities are all part of an effort to drive Thailand's digital transformation, which is environmentally friendly and sustainable, in line with Huawei's mission 'Grow in Thailand, Contribute to Thailand', to ensure the country has a strong competitive edge in the future.