Why IoT is a key ingredient in Thailand’s digitalization drive

An Internet of Things (IoT) system consists of sensors and devices which “talk” to and connect with cloud solutions. Once the data gets to the cloud, IoT software processes and actions it to benefit not only businesses and countless industries — from agriculture to retail and medicine — but also end consumers.

Globally, it’s estimated that there will be more than 75 billion IoT devices installed by 2025, five times as many as in 2015. A McKinsey & Company report notes that the percentage of businesses using IoT grew from 13% to 25% between 2014 and 2019.

So, it’s no surprise that Thailand is putting a great onus on the development of its IoT infrastructure, and several of the government’s ‘Thailand 4.0’ initiatives – such as Smart City and Industry 4.0 – are focused on boosting the adoption of IoT. In their pacey pursuit of digital transformation, we look at where IoT comes in, and what infrastructural and developmental issues Thailand could face.