Thailand has officially declared its strategic position on the global artificial intelligence stage, championing a “Smart User” approach to drive its digital economy. Kicking off the landmark “Bangkok AI Week 2025,” the nation unveiled a pragmatic strategy focused on intelligent application rather than foundational model competition, alongside ambitious plans to attract over ฿500 billion in private sector investment for AI data centers and cultivate a new generation of AI-literate citizens.
BANGKOK, THAILAND – The technology and economic sectors of Thailand are witnessing a pivotal moment as the nation charts a definitive course for its artificial intelligence future. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), through the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), has officially inaugurated “Bangkok AI Week 2025.” Running from June 23-27 across the capital under the theme “AI Powered Nation: Unleashing the digital economy for all,” the event serves as a powerful declaration of Thailand’s strategy to harness AI for national development.
In a keynote address that set the tone for the nation’s ambitions, Dr. Sak Segkhoonthod, Senior Advisor at ETDA, presented a vision for Thailand’s role in the global AI landscape that is both sharp and grounded in reality. He emphasized that the country’s goal is not to exhaust resources competing to build foundational AI models or hardware, but to strategically position itself as a “Smart User” and an adept “Smart Adapter.”
“We must choose a battlefield where we have a chance to win,” Dr. Sak stated unequivocally. “Thailand will not focus on developing hardware like processing chips to compete with companies like NVIDIA, as it requires an investment that is too massive to bear.”
Instead, the nation will pivot towards a more agile and value-oriented approach. “Our strategy is to take open-source AI from around the world and build upon it, fine-tuning it to align with the country’s context and strengths,” he explained. “The objective is to create tangible economic value and solve real-world problems for the Thai people.”
This strategic direction reflects a calculated evolution, learning from past initiatives. Dr. Sak noted that Thailand had already initiated its National Artificial Intelligence Action Plan back in 2022, predating the global explosion of interest sparked by ChatGPT. This early work, a collaboration between MDES and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), laid a crucial, non-reactive foundation for the current push.
The core of the “Smart User” strategy is to target sectors where Thailand holds a competitive advantage: smart agriculture, public health and medicine, tourism, and the enhancement of government services. These are areas where the application of AI is poised to deliver the most significant positive impact on the economy and citizens’ quality of life.
Forging Data Sovereignty with Massive Infrastructure Investment
To power this strategic vision, robust digital infrastructure is non-negotiable. Dr. Sak unveiled a staggering investment forecast, projecting that the private sector is expected to pour approximately ฿500 billion (approximately $13.6 billion USD) into developing AI-ready Data Centers within the country between 2026 and 2027.
This colossal investment is about more than economic stimulus and job creation; it is the cornerstone of achieving “Data Sovereignty.” By building a powerful domestic cloud and data infrastructure, Thailand aims to reduce its dependence on foreign providers, mitigate geopolitical risks, and prevent a potential national standstill should international internet connectivity be disrupted. This move is seen as essential for long-term national security and economic resilience in the digital age.
While the private sector builds the foundational infrastructure, the government has set its own clear economic targets. It anticipates generating around ฿2 billion in economic value during the same period, primarily through AI-driven productivity and quality improvements across the business sector. Further public investment is expected to be channeled through mechanisms like the Digital Economy and Society Development Fund (DE Fund), with more specific figures anticipated in the 2026 fiscal year budget announcement this September.
However, there is a critical exception to the “user” strategy. In the vital domain of language, Thailand recognizes the necessity of being a creator. The development of a sovereign Thai Large Language Model (LLM) is a national imperative. While existing models like “Pathumma” and “Typhoon” are still developing, they are fundamentally important. The rationale is clear: no global model can fully grasp the nuances of Thai language, culture, and context. A national AI model is a long-term investment in reducing technological dependency and ensuring data security.
Building a Nation of AI-Ready Citizens and Experts
Advanced technology and massive investment would be meaningless without the human capital to leverage them. This forms another critical pillar of the national strategy. The government has set a formidable goal: to equip 10 million Thai citizens with AI Literacy within two years.
This widespread public education campaign will run parallel to a focused effort to cultivate a deep talent pool, aiming to develop 90,000 AI Professionals and 50,000 AI Programmers. This three-tiered approach is designed to create a comprehensive human resource ecosystem, from an informed public to the specialized experts needed to innovate and drive the AI-powered economy forward.
Championing Ethical AI and Agile Governance
As AI’s influence grows, so do concerns about its misuse. Dr. Sak provided four essential principles for the public to navigate the AI era safely and consciously:
- Never share personal data or corporate secrets with AI.
- Do not trust AI 100%; always verify its outputs.
- Maintain a critical eye towards AI-generated images and videos.
- Most importantly, always be mindful and maintain ‘Sati’ (a Buddhist term for awareness and mindfulness).
These guidelines serve as a digital vaccine, aiming to build societal resilience against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and misinformation.
On the regulatory front, Thailand is choosing a path of flexible and proactive “AI Governance” over waiting for potentially slow and rapidly outdated legislation. This approach is built on three core tenets for AI application: it must 1) solve a genuine need, 2) adhere to ethical principles, and 3) effectively mitigate risks.
To institutionalize this, Thailand is set to establish an AI Governance Practice Center in collaboration with UNESCO. This center will position the country as a regional hub for training and sharing best practices, reinforcing its ambition to be a leader in the responsible application of AI. Furthermore, ETDA has developed a comprehensive AI Governance Guideline, which will soon be presented to the Cabinet for adoption as a unified standard across all government agencies.
In conclusion, Thailand’s AI strategy marks a significant transition from a past of policy ambiguity to a new era of clear, determined direction. With the vision firmly in place, the challenge now shifts from planning to execution. The success of this ambitious national project will depend on the collaborative “call to action” and the unified efforts of the government, the private sector, and the public, all working in concert to transform Thailand into a truly AI-powered nation that delivers sustainable prosperity for all.
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