Tech is everywhere in South East Asia and Thailand is no exception. From banking to commerce to agriculture and tourism, tech has seen its reach spread far and wide in this kingdom. Tech is steadily turning the capital city of Bangkok into a bustling centre of e-commerce and start ups. However this does not mean that the industry is without problems. There is a pressing problem staring the Thai tech industry in the face-where are the women?

The Problem Of Tech In Thailand

Thailand’s tech problem is quite clear; there are simply not enough women to join the men. It is a concern for gender equality and equal opportunity but more so an issue of optimizing the best tech workforce Thailand could produce. It is basic logic that you can only squeeze out the best potential, talents and skills if you get a more diverse and comprehensive workforce. And currently Thailand seems to be benefiting only from its male workforce. Which means if tech stays a male-dominated industry in Thailand, then the country risks losing out on having sufficient tech workers and tech talents. And could lose out. According to a 2015 UNESCO study, Thailand had more women involved in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) compared to its more advanced Asian counterparts like South Korea and Japan. Statistics from the World Economic Forum states that most start-ups are run by men and that women fill only 25% of the workforce in tech. Of the 25%, Asian women form only a mere 5%. Should we be shocked? Far from it. Like any new and booming industry and especially in a relatively conservative country,it is typically monopolized by men. In Thailand, this is no exception. There is still so much that has to be done to drive the number of women in tech way up. This is despite the familiar scenario of a very hardworking female workforce in the country. If Thai women are actively involved in the country’s workforce, why then is there a female shortage in the tech field? Many factors come into play here. The chief issue could be the prevalent patriarchal Thai conception of men assuming the more challenging roles and the women taking on seemingly safer and more feminine roles such as careers in nursing and teaching. Tech would seem to be more masculine with its challenging hours, complex job scopes and complicated knowledge and terms; web development, coding, java development etc. Computers are machines and the general impression would be that women have no business being near any machines save for those for food preparation. In short women may be indirectly discouraged from taking part in tech due to preconceived and inaccurate depictions of tech imposed on them by society and themselves. Computers are basically machines but nowhere are they out of a woman’s league to handle them. There are women in Canada and the US who put men to shame by driving big rig trucks for a living. This is not a male-bashing statement but simply a fact that the are hardly any machinery that women are not capable of handling, physically or mentally.The statement that “women can do what men can” fits the bill in this very case So if computers are a more delicate machine, why are there not more women in Thailand who choose to pursue careers in tech? Simply doesn’t help as well when there are still employers (male or female) that harbour prejudices towards women joining men in the tech field. The women are not asking for a leeway or special treatment. Only an opportunity to showcase their skills and talent.

So How Should Thailand Solve This Problem?

It is naive to think that the tech job market would change itself to welcome Thai women openly. Efforts must be stepped up and the remedial initiatives has to come from the government as well as the giant tech companies that dominate the industry. An example would be Microsoft. This pioneer American tech giant has been lauded for its efforts in supporting women in tech by giving help to women who wished to return to work after taking time away for educational or personal reasons. Google partnered a Techmakers programme to organise a series of global events to provide women with interests in tech networking opportunities and a platform for employment. There is no reason such proactive initiatives cannot be carried out in Thailand. And you do not have to be a company the size of Microsoft and Google to contribute efforts and funding towards encouraging more women to join the tech industry. Smaller steps such as setting a certain quota for women to fill tech-related roles within a company or a special internship programme are excellent ways small and medium-sized tech-based companies could embrace to boost the number of women in tech. Welcoming gestures such as these will lead talents and skilled tech workers to the companies so it is a win-win for both parties.

Women Need To Empower Themselves

While the tech industry begins to make necessary changes, women themselves should not be idle but instead pool their resources together. Power in unity and number is really true and setting up a group or network of their own will help their cause further. Women Who Code is a great example of how much great potential and opportunities could be nurtured when women pool their resources together. Through this platform, women in tech not only have a specific outlet to share their experiences but also a platform that offers them job opportunities. It is also the go-to place for these women in tech to find proper resources to further their careers through events and tutorials. Leadership and more advanced tech-based courses are also offered as means to support women in a field where women have yet to break the glass ceiling. Women Who Code (Bangkok) is a branch off the same platform and it is an example of how women (some men included as well) in the capital city of Thailand have established a proper network to organise their tech jobs, opportunities and further learning. A network allows the women to be more organised in gathering women tech workers and share experiences, opportunities as well as learning or training events. Power in numbers lends more credence to the voice of Thai women in tech and would enable them to better negotiate much needed job and learning opportunities. At the current membership of only 600+, there is still much that has to be done to boost the women only tech platform. But it is a good start and the right idea to pursue to make a mark in Thailand’s tech industry.

So What’s The Future For Thai Women And Tech?

Tech is on the verge of sweeping every known industry under its control in Thailand and everywhere else. Thailand is sitting on so much untapped potential that it has better wake up and start calling on every single developer, male of female to heed the call to battle. Get every available tech talent into active work and aggressively nurture the talent pool in the country. It is high time to loosen the shackle of archaic thinking and embrace change.

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