Although economic conditions remain blue, Thailand's overall ICT market is expected to grow by 7.2 percent thus year.

The overall ICT market this year is forecast at 595 billion baht, of which communications take the largest proportion, followed by computer hardware, computer software and computer services, according to an ICT market joint-survey by the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec), Software Industry Promotion Agency (Sipa) and eight private sector associations.

In 2009, the total value of the ICT market was around 555 billion baht, an increase of 6 percent from 2008.

The total value of IT sector alone, which comprises computer hardware, software, services, and data communication equipment (wired and wireless), is expected to reach some 284 billion baht, an increase of 10.5 percent on last year.

Meanwhile, the hardware ratio is declining, said Jumrud Sawangsamud, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Association of Thai ICT Industry (ATCI), who added that IT utilisation proved that computer hardware and software are likely to shrink continuously,albeit slowly.

Read full story:: Overall market to grow, but manufacturing to be hit