Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob has defended the government’s TH-AI Passport programme, saying the initiative is designed to expand access to advanced artificial intelligence tools while strengthening the country’s digital capabilities.
The programme aims to provide up to five million Thai citizens aged 15 and above with access to AI tools, training, assessments and other digital learning resources.
More than one million people registered for the programme within its first two days of opening, according to the ministry. The strong initial response has been cited by officials as evidence of significant public interest in greater access to AI technology.
The government has allocated about 1.62 billion baht for the first phase of the project. Officials say the bulk-purchase arrangement brings the cost of premium AI access down to about 27 baht per user per month, substantially below the typical retail price of comparable services.
Chaichanok has also defended the programme’s data-security arrangements. He said the contracts with participating AI providers prohibit them from retaining users’ data or using information generated through the service to train or develop their own AI models.
The government says user data will be hosted in Thailand and that aggregated information could eventually contribute to the development of a Thai sovereign AI model.
The project has nevertheless faced scrutiny over its procurement process, funding and terms of reference. Critics have questioned whether some of the technical requirements may have limited competition and called for greater transparency over how the contract was awarded.
The ministry has rejected allegations that the procurement process was manipulated. Officials said the contract was awarded through a competitive bidding process and that the winning bid was below the median price set for the project.
The government has also said the contract, signed on April 7, 2026, was completed in accordance with procurement regulations and that the current focus should be on managing the agreement and delivering the programme rather than reopening the tender process.
The controversy has prompted calls for closer examination of the project’s cost and implementation. Government officials have said they are willing to consider suggestions that could improve the programme and increase its benefits to the public.
The TH-AI Passport initiative forms part of Thailand’s broader effort to improve AI adoption and digital skills as businesses and public institutions increasingly incorporate artificial intelligence into their operations.
A second phase is also being considered, with the government seeking additional funding to expand the programme and continue providing access to AI tools and training.
For now, the ministry is pressing ahead with the rollout while defending the project’s procurement, cost and data-protection measures in response to continuing public and political scrutiny.
Leave a Reply