5G AND BIG DATA IN THAILAND

By Editorial

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to access data to develop adequate public health responses such aThe International Institute of Communications (IIC) organised an international symposium on 5G and driving the benefits of big data in Bangkok, Thailand, on 24 June 2021. Hosted by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), Thailand, the hybrid virtual and in person event featured a welcome address from IIC president Chris Chapman and General Sukit Khamasundara, acting chairman and commissioner, NBTC, followed by an opening keynote by Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi bin Abdul Malek, chairman, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Dr Wilhelm Eschweiler, vice president, Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), Germany on the interrelationship between 5G and big data, and why the one feeds into the
other.s quarantine, social distancing and tracking of virus origination has fed a general debate on the need to regulate big data as a key social resource. Big data has already revealed its importance in relation to sustainable growth, urban transportation, environmental programmes and for health research however its use for COVID-19 purposes has renewed dialogue on topics such as privacy, security and consumer protection.