Firm urges 1 super-app per ministry
Each ministry should have its own super-application to facilitate their operations and enable better public service, in line with the country’s digital transformation, according to Pro Inside, an intelligence system integration service provider.
Ministries that have many departments involved with people’s daily payment of service fees should develop their own super-apps in three years to increase operating efficiency and ensure data security, said Benyapa Chalermwat, chief executive of Pro Inside.
She said super-app development should not be concentrated on a few existing government apps to avoid the impact of an app disruption, adding a few existing apps have the potential to be further developed.
Ms Benyapa said the ministries that should prioritise super-app development are interior and transport because they have many departments involved with people’s daily transactions, including service fee payment by people or enterprises.
“Those ministries should develop their own super-apps and promote public awareness to access operations and services through the apps within three years at the latest,” she said.
Ms Benyapa said development of the super-app scheme could be joined by state banks or financial institutions as well as private banks. She said Pro Inside is studying the business potential of the super-app development projects.
The company is in talks with two large digital gateway providers in China as tentative partners to participate in super-app development projects for the government ministries. While the projects might not be high-value, they would support the country’s digital transformation and complement Pro Inside’s business portfolio, said Ms Benyapa.
In a separate matter, Pro Inside submitted on April 18 a plan to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO) to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The company focuses on state agencies and enterprises, offering services related to security systems, big data, artificial intelligence-embedded solutions and the smart healthcare sector.
“Funding via an IPO and becoming a listed company would benefit overall operations, making it easier to bid for larger state projects with a greater market capitalisation and enhanced reliability,” she said.
Pro Inside booked total revenue of 674 million baht with a net profit 87 million in 2021. In 2022 it posted 642 million baht in revenue and net profit of 18 million.
Ms Benyapa said profit declined in 2022 because of organizational restructuring after separating from its parent, SET-listed Sky ICT.
Pro Inside holds a project backlog with combined value of 2 billion baht, she said.
Pro Inside split off from Sky ICT in 2022 to handle all state project bids related to systems integration services.
The company aims to become a major contributor to the parent group’s revenue stream in the future, said Ms Benyapa.
Sky ICT holds a 91% stake in Pro Inside, which would be diluted to less than 60% after an IPO, she said.
Credit: Bangkokpost.com
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