Predictions about changes over the period 2005 to 2010 in the nature and structure of the IT profession in organizations operating in developed nations were tested for organizations operating in eight different organizational sectors in Thailand. Data collected in 2006 and 2011 from organizations in Thailand was used to test the predictions and to identify similarities and differences among the sectors with respect to the importance of specific knowledge and skills associated with each part of the predicted structure. The findings provide theoretical and practical insights into the development of the nature and structure of the IT profession in Thailand over the past five years and the relative importance of IT professional skills in each organizational sector. KEYWORDS:IT skills, specialists, Thailand, versatilists, work domains. 1.INTRODUCTION Studies of the IT profession in developed nations are common and play an important role in matching organizational IT needs with knowledge and skills. Unfortunately, this is not the situation in Thailand despite the importance given to the role of IT in national planning documents (e.g. National ICT Policy Framework 2011-2020 at www.ict2020.in.th). This is the fourth in a continuing program of studies of the IT profession and technologies used in organizations in Thailand designed to address this situation. The first study by Wongwuttiwat et al. (2005) concerning changes in the nature and structure of the IT profession among organizations classified as IT providers in Thailand, if their purpose was to provide IT products or services in the marketplace, or as IT users, if they used IT to achieve a different organizational purpose.The predictions by Morello (2005) were based on information gathered from medium to large size organizations operating in developed nations and they describe changes in demand across the period 2005 to 2010 for IT expertise organized in a theoretical framework with four domains of expertise (Technology Infrastructure and Services, Information Design and Management, Process Design and Management, and Relationship and Sourcing Management) used to describe the proposed structure of the IT profession by 2010. The predictions by Plummer et al. (2005), which were also referenced by Morello (2005), refer to changes in demands from 2005 for particular types of IT professionals described as specialists and versatilists depending on the breadth, depth, and the scope of the recognition of their skills. These predictions by Plummer et al. may be seen as complementary to those by Morello in the sense that Morello's predictions address the structure of the IT profession

This study was motivated by the challenges confronting the developing Southeast Asian nation of Thailand in realizing national policy objectives aimed at creating a knowledgebased society. The study determines and compares the development plans of 72 medium to large sized organizations representing 7 organizational sectors in terms of the relative and changing importance assigned to a range of technologies, professional activities, and IT knowledge/skills and assesses the alignment of these development plans with national policy objectives.Keywords: ICTs, Knowledge-based Society, National Policies, Organizational Sectors, Professional Activities and Skills INTRODUCTIONSince 1992 This Master Plan identifies 7 strategic agenda to: elevate the Thai ICT industry to become a regional leader; utilize ICT to enhance the quality of Thai society; reform and enhance ICT research and development (R&D); develop human resources; enhance entrepreneurial leadership; promote the use of ICT in small and medium enterprises (SMEs); and utilize ICT for the purpose of public administration and services. A full description of the development and content of this series of policy statements is given by Intarakumnerd and Panthawi (2003).Against this background of national policies and frameworks this study has 2 objectives: (i) to determine and compare the development plans of medium to large sized organizations representing different organizational sectors in terms of the relative and changing importance the sectors assign to technologies, professional activities, and IT knowledge/skills; and (ii) to assess the alignment of these development plans in the sectors with national policy objectives.No previous study of this type in Thailand was found and since the national ICT policies in Thailand were not formulated on the basis of organizational sectors this study provides a different perspective on the alignment of development plans within sectors and the national policies. The findings and methodology are expected to be of interest to those interested in national ICT policy formulation and implementation in developing countries, and academics, practitioners, policy makers, and commercial organizations interested in ICT developments and opportunities in Thailand as seen from the perspectives of different organizational sectors. NATIONAL POLICIES AND RELATED LITERATURESummaries of national policies are presented together with the results of an evaluation of IT-2000. This is followed by a review of published research over the period 2003-2007 on aspects of ICT development in Thailand and includes a SWOT analysis of ICT in Thailand, comparisons with other Asian countries, and ICT indicators used to monitor development.

This exploratory study aims to determine the technologies, IT professional activities, areas of IT knowledge/skills and related concerns, at present and within the next five years, which are important to private and public organisations operating in the Southeast Asian nation of Thailand. The study was motivated by the challenges confronting a developing nation in realising national IT policy objectives aimed at creating a knowledge-based society in the wake of a serious economic downturn in the late 1990s. Conclusions drawn from the analysis of responses to a questionnaire highlight the problems and future intentions for the use of information and communication technologies from the perspective of international and local, medium-and large-sized, organisations operating in Thailand.

The progress of Thailand's development needs to be monitored especially in the environment of the ASEAN Economic Community which started formally at the end of the year 2015. Furthermore, Thailand has also established the Thailand 4.0 strategy in alignment with the Thailand 12th Social and Economic Development Plan (2017–2021) and the ASEAN ICT Master Plan in order to drive the Thailand economy into a high‐income country and to be an ASEAN regional center. Because of the efficiency and effectiveness of ICT that can stimulate and support in most work areas, ICT aims to be the foundation of the country's development in other aspects. Thus, Thailand's Ministry of ICT has launched various ICT policies and programs for ICT administrators of different economic sectors because ICT has been considered as an engine of country development, and this causes Thailand to rely more on the adoption of ICT in various sectors. This study focuses on the progression of ICT development and investments, country infrastructures, the quality of the higher education system, business sophistication, and innovation, which are considered as the principal components of Thailand 4.0 strategy. The findings may assist the responsible authorities in both public and private organizations in monitoring, understanding, and expediting strategies and operations in order to achieve the objectives of Thailand 4.0 and to obtain competitive advantages across the ASEAN Economic Community. Furthermore, the findings also help to detect improvement of the Thailand's performance with respect to the 5 components development relative to the other ASEAN economies.

The study tests predictions made in the literature about the nature and structure of the IS profession over the next 5 years against the expectations of organizations operating in Thailand. Predictions refer to similarities and differences between Provider organizations where the core activity is the provision of ICT products and services and User organizations which are engaged in different core activities but require ICT products and services. The expectations in both types of organizations are analyzed and compared using data collected by questionnaire. The results are interpreted and theoretical and practical implications are presented.