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To make the e-commerce industry move forward, the Information and Communications Technology Ministry will set up a new agency to oversee the development of electronic commerce and electronic transactions.

The new agency, called the Electronic Transaction Agency, will be set up in accordance to the Electronic Transaction Act and it's expected to be up and running in September.

The act to set up the new agency is now in the process of getting approval.

As the development of electronic commerce is necessary, there should be a new organisation to oversee policy development and lay down infrastructure including standards and legislation to support the use of electronic transactions in the country, said Thaweesak Koanantakool, vice president of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and a member of the Electronic Transaction Committee.

He said the new agency would be a key mechanism to promote the use of electronic transactions in both business and government sectors.

"Once set up, the new agency will have its own director and staff to work full time," he said.

He added the urgent agenda for e-commerce development by the agency would initially include establishing security standards, the establishment of a root certification authority (CA), and the development of a legal framework to support the use of electronic transactions.

"The development of e-commerce has been at a standstill as it has lacked a body to take a full-time role in the matter. We hope that having the new agency will make all the development work run better," he said.

"The new agency will also encourage collaboration amongst related organisations to develop and promote the use of e-commerce, and eventually the picture of one-stop e-commerce and e-government services will emerge in Thailand," he said.

Pongpen Sutharoj

The Nation