On 2 November 2017, the Royal Thai Embassy in London organised a special talk on “Thailand 4.0” by Dr. Pichet Durongkaveroj, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, for Thai students in the UK to share his visions about business and career opportunities in Thailand as a digital economy and society, as well as his learning and working experiences.

Around 50 students from various universities in and outside London attended the special talk.  The Minister provided updates and shared success stories and lessons learned from different projects initiated under Thailand 4.0, such as Free Internet for the People, Village Internet, and Startup Thailand, to close gaps between the “haves” and the “have-nots”, and create opportunities for all.  Dr. Pichet highlighted the importance of using technology applications to make positive changes for national development, which Thai students in the UK as privileged group with high potentials can take action to help make the country further progress and prosper.  It is crucial to inspire new ideas for creativity and innovations in diverse disciplines.  After the talk, the students had an opportunity to have an informal chat with the Minister, and a number of students were interested in internship programmes at the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society offered by the Minister.

On this occasion, Mr. Pisanu Suvanajata, Ambassador of Thailand to the United Kingdom and Ireland welcomed the students. In his welcoming remarks, the Ambassador emphasised the crucial role Thai students could play in moving the country forward, and that extra-curricular skills and experiences were as important as learning in the classrooms.  He encouraged the students to share the information gained with their friends, both Thai and non-Thai.       

The special talk was organised by the Royal Thai Embassy in London, in collaboration with the Office of Educational Affairs and Samaggi Samagom under the Royal Patronage, the Association of Thai students in the UK.  This talk, first in its series and well received by the students, was initiated as a mentoring forum for Thai students to learn more career opportunities in Thailand to encourage them to return home and help develop their motherland.