16 March 2022:   At Meeting room, 1st floor, Royal Library Building, Srapathum Palace, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presides over and chairs the meeting of the Executive Board of the Information Technology Foundation under the Initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (PSIT), No. 2/2022, to follow up and consider the progress of operations in the past year (2021), and the plan in 2022.

     PSIT has operated according to the royal initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to promote the use of information technology to develop the knowledge and potential of children, youth, and underprivileged people in society, particularly 5 main target groups, i.e., rural school students, children with disabilities, sick children in hospitals, prisoners, and youths in correctional institutions, to develop the quality of life and equality in educational and career opportunities. In addition, activities regarding the application of science and technology have been carried out to develop the capabilities and potential of personnel, which will lead to further development of the community, country, and quality of life of the people as a whole.

     The work of PSIT is oversight by an executive board which is chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.  The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) provides secretariat support and coordinates the overall project and activities under the foundation.

     In the past year (2021), PSIT has developed more than 400 people in science and technology, supporting the operation of the Facial and Craniofacial Deformity Correction Center. which provides treatment for patients with cleft lip, cleft palate, and those with facial and craniofacial deformities to have a better quality of life for more than 800 people.  The Herb for Healthy Water project has been implemented to encourage people in the community to be aware of the value of water resources for consumption and gather together to campaign to reduce the use of chemicals in the community.  There were awareness-raising activities to make people realize the environmental and ecological value of the community’s watersheds.  The project was piloted at Ban Thep Phu Ngern, Udon Thani, and nearby communities working together to do safe farming or organic farming on an area of not less than 40-50 rai, resulting in reducing forest encroachment to increase the area of rubber plantation.  Furthermore, people in the community can make more money from selling turmeric herbs and processed local herbal products, etc.

     For projects concerned with the use of ICT for education and development of the underprivileged, PSIT has developed personnel consisting of teachers, students, prison inmates, youth in correctional institutions, people with disabilities, and related personnel, totaling more than 11,000 people.  More than 30,000 children have received education in the Learning Center for Sick Children in the hospital and not losing the opportunity to study even while being hospitalized.   In implementing these projects, PSIT worked/collaborated with more than 160 agencies/organizations.

Examples of projects operating in 2021 include:

• Supporting solar power generation systems and telecommunications for marginalized communities to help reduce inequality in access to technology. Beneficiaries includes: 21 educational institutions, more than 3,000 students, 226 teachers and staffs, and more than 12,000 people in the community from 790 households.  A telemedicine service system (Family Folder Collector) has been installed for the Subdistrict Health Promotion Hospital, Suksala in the Border Patrol Police School and 6 other hospitals
• Developing competencies in using e-commerce. to students in rural areas, youth in the observation and detention center and prison inmates by organizing online training in the course “Creating a business in the digital economy era” and the “E-commerce” course. There were 543 people who completed the said course receive certificates. In addition, PSIT collaborated with Thailand Professional Qualifications Institute (Public Organization) to organize a competency test in using e-commerce according to professional qualification standards. There were 141 people who passed the e-commerce competency test, or 74.60% of those doing the test.
• Developing the abilities of youth in using media in the digital technology era and managing finances. PSIT, with support from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Co. Ltd. (HSBC), conducts activities to develop students from Border Patrol Police schools and youth in detention centers to have knowledge and ability in managing finances, saving money, using technology and media in the digital age for learning in a safe, creative, and socially responsible manner and are able to use technology/media for public communication as well as using it to create extra income or make a living. There are approximately 390 youths who have developed their abilities in this project.