3 ways Cambodia is using technology for good
3 May 2021
Ravindra Ngo
Founder, The Asian Network

COVID-19 has accelerated the deployment of new technologies, including mobile apps for registering for vaccination appointments and contact tracing.
In Cambodia, technology is helping to educate people about history, eradicate landmines and promote financial inclusion.
To ensure tech is being used for good, challenges – such as digital literacy – must be addressed.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been a catalyst for digital, biological and physical innovation.

Over the past year, new trends have developed – such as "phygital marketing," using technology to bridge the digital and physical world with the purpose of providing a unique interactive experience to the user, and "digital transformation" of educational programs from renowned schools and best-selling authors. In the ASEAN region, Singapore is the technological trendsetter. From next month, they will accept the COVID-19 travel pass, and Sanofi recently announced they will invest $600 million in a vaccine production centre in the country.

The idea of "ASEAN 4.0" emerged before the pandemic, introduced by the World Economic Forum in September 2016. As one example, pre-pandemic, Thailand led and initiated a plan to develop a digital hub in the South East Asian Region, transforming urban centres into smart cities under the Thailand 4.0 initiative.

3 ways ASEAN can build a stronger future post-pandemic

What does "ASEAN 4.0" really mean for the region during this unprecedented time – and especially for developing countries such as Cambodia? Will the implementation of the key priorities of the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 – to connect businesses and facilitate cross-border trade – encourage digital inclusion and equality?
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/05/ ... evolution/

It's really good to see governments embrace technology, especially that such advances usually result in more convenience and transparency for the populace.

But...with news headlines reporting hacks against governments nearly every day, I do wonder if Cambodia is putting many resources into cyber security. If not, these advances and services could result in more harm than help.

Just in the last couple of days, Russia, USA, SE Asia, Toronto, Alaska, Japan, Ukraine, Philippines and probably many others have reported attacks on government systems. Whatever the case, hope cyber security is on the government's radar.

Close to home, here's Philippines latest experience, where "345,000 files from Filipino solicitor-general's office were breached": https://www.zdnet.com/article/turgensec ... _view=true